Scrappers shut out again



Scrappers outfielder Josh McAdams watches as a ball hit by the Jammers’ Jin-De Jhang goes over the wall for a home run in the fifth inning of Tuesday’s NYPL game at Eastwood Field in Niles. Jamestown shut out Mahoning Valley, 3-0.
Jammers spoil Hamrick’s MV debut
By Steve Ruman
Niles
There is plenty of blame to go around for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ 0-2 start.
From an inability to advance runners in scoring position to some lackluster running on the base paths, the struggle has been almost a team-wide effort.
Almost.
The starting pitching certainly can’t be blamed. Not for the Scrappers’ 5-0 loss on Monday, and certainly not for Tuesday’s 3-0 setback to Jamestown front of 2,802 fans at Eastwood Field.
On Tuesday, 19-year-old Caleb Hamrick made his Scrappers’ debut a memorable one. The righty retired the first 12 men he faced, and ended up working five innings, surrendering just three hits and one earned run while striking out five.
However, Hamrick’s performance wasn’t enough, as the Scrappers extended their scoreless streak to 18 innings.
After throwing perfect baseball through four innings, Hamrick made his only true pitching mistake in the top of the fifth when Jammers catcher Jin-De Jhang led off the inning with a blast over the right field wall.
A pair of infield singles and a throwing error by Hamrick led to an additional run.
The Jammers then scored their third run of the game in the sixth, an inning which featured a single, a walk, a passed ball, a wild pitch and a pair of stolen bases.
The three runs would prove to be more than enough against a team which is struggling out of the gate.
“We had a great work day today, and we’re working hard out on the field,” said Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak. “There’s always a little anxiety, especially at this level.
“(Jamestown) has a veteran club compared to us. We have a roster mainly consisting of 18, 19, and 20 year old guys. This is a difficult game. But things will come around.”
For the most part, Hamrick made his work look easy. He kept Jamestown hitters off-balance most of the night, and had good control of his pitches.
“He looked really good, really strong and comfortable on the mound,” Kubiak said.
Hamrick was drafted just three days after graduating from Cedar Hills High School in Texas. He was selected by the Indians in the eighth round of the June 2012 draft.
After signing a contract in July, he spent the rest of last summer throwing and working out on his own. He spent this past winter and spring with the Indians in Arizona.
“This was my first true game experience since high school ball last May,” Hamrick said. “I felt good. I felt like I had good command of my fastball, and I felt comfortable. I was excited, but in a good way.
“The home run was a pitch that was down and away. (Jhang) just got ahold of it. He’s a good hitter.”
Hamrick was a high school All-American who had signed to play with Dallas Baptist University prior to the draft.
“I was ready for college, but it’s always been a dream to play pro,” Hamrick said. “It took a while to finally sign, but that’s just the business end of it. As soon as the Indians called, I knew I was going to be a part of their organization.”
After collecting just five hits on Monday, the Scrappers banged out seven hits on Tuesday. Their best scoring opportunity came in the eighth, when Josh McAdams walked, then Paul Hendrix hit a two-out double along the right field line.
McAdams appeared to turn in a lackluster effort going from first to third.
Nellie Rodriguez followed with a walk to load the bases, but the rally was halted when Martin Cervenka popped out to end the inning.
The Scrappers and Jammers conclude their three-game series tonight.
JAMMERS 3, SCRAPPERS 0
JamestownScrappers
abrhbiabrhbi
Roy lf4000Booth cf5000
Escobar rf3110Bautista 3b4010
Ramirez cf4000Herrera ss4020
Jhang c4111McAdams rf2010
Collins 1b3110Hendrix 2b4010
Espinal dh4010Rodriguez 1b3000
Aponte 3b4000Cervenka c3000
Frnsoso ss2000Boscan dh4010
Barrios 2b3000Ruiz4010
Totals31341Totals33070
Jamestown000021000—3
Scrappers000000000—0
E—Ramirez (1), Hamrick (1). DP—Scrappers 1. LOB—Jamestown 4, Scrappers 10. SB—Escobar 2, McAdams. PB—Cervenka.
IPHRERBBSO
Jamestown
Brewer W, 1-0550012
Topa110001
J. Lopez210030
C. Lopez100001
Scrappers
Hamrick L, 0-1532105
Paredes111111
Puerta200012
Frank100000
WP—Paredes. Umpires—Home, Brennan Miller; Bases, Mike Wiseman. T—2:29. A—2,082.