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Spikes’ Bosco hits for cycle in win over Scrappers
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Mahoning Valley Scrappers center fielder Josh McAdams makes a diving attempt, but is unable to catch a line drive against the State College Spikes on Wednesday night at Eastwood Field. State College defeated Mahoning Valley, 6-1, in a New York-Penn League game.
By Steve Ruman
NILES
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers entered Wednesday night’s game against State College with a New York-Penn League-best 1.82 earned-run average.
The Spikes were the top hitting team in the league at .285.
Good pitching beats good hitting every time, right?
Well, not quite.
Not on Wednesday night, when the Spikes handed the Scrappers a 6-1 home loss in front of 2,081 fans at Eastwood Field.
The hot-hitting Spikes flexed their muscles from the start, pounding out 13 hits — including a memorable four-hit performance by Jimmy Bosco. The center fielder accomplished a rare feat by hitting for the cycle.
Bosco led off the game by tripling to the gap in right-center field. He homered to right-center in the third and singled in the fourth.
After flying out to deep center in the sixth, Bosco laced a double in the eighth to the same part of the field in which he earlier tripled.
“I’m just glad to be able to contribute to this team,” Bosco said. “We’re pretty strong on both sides right now, we’re playing well. I’m glad I’m part of the success.”
Bosco was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 13th round of the June draft. He played college ball at Menlo College in Atherton, Calif., where he earned NAIA West Group Player of the Year honors with a ..426 batting average and a .805 slugging percentage in 52 starts.
With the Spikes, he is batting a league-high.429.
Bosco noted his memorable performance was the second time he hit for the cycle. He last accomplished the feat when was 14. That cycle included an inside-the-park grand slam.
On Wednesday, Bosco sensed he was about to make history at the crack of the bat. On his final hit of the night, it appeared as though he had a legitimate shot to reach third. However, Spikes manager Oliver Marmol — coaching third base — frantically put up the stop sign as Bosco hit second.
“Let’s put it this way, if the game was closer, Coach probably would have sent me and I would not have had a problem with it,” Bosco said.
Bosco, Cesar Valera and Carson Kelly each had two RBIs for the Spikes.
The Scrappers’ lone run of the night came off the bat of Robel Garcia. The third baseman homered in the third, accounting for one of the Scrappers’ four hits.
Scrappers starter Cole Sulser didn’t make it out of the third, and he was roughed up for four runs and six hits. In his only other start of the season, Sulser pitched three scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit while striking out five.
The loss drops the Scrappers to 4-6, while State College boosts its record to 5-3.
“We have a strong lineup, and things are clicking,” Bosco said. “I just feel very blessed to be associated with an organization like the Cardinals. They are a first-class organization.”
The Scrappers and Spikes conclude their two-game series tonight. The first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.