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Mejia lifts Scrappers to win
By Steve Ruman
NILES
Francisco Mejia had every reason to swing for the fences.
However, the ear-to-ear smile on Mejia’s face suggested that the Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ catcher was more than satisfied with a single to right field.
Mejia capped off a memorable night at the plate on Wednesday when he knocked in Bradley Zimmer with the game-winning run in a Scrappers’ 8-7 home victory over Jamestown.
Mejia’s heroics came with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Zimmer reached base on a throwing error by Jammers shortstop Tyler Filliben.
The Scrappers center fielder promptly stole second, then advanced to third on a throwing error by Jammers catcher Taylor Gushue.
That set the stage for Mejia, who came to the plate needing a home run to hit for the cycle. However, with the infield drawn in, Mejia lined a single between first and second base to send 2,120 fans home happy.
Mejia went 4-for-5 with five RBIs. For good measure, he threw out a runner trying to steal second and also picked off a runner at first.
“I knew I needed a home run for the cycle, but my only thought in the ninth was to get the ball out of the infield and let Bradley do his thing,” Mejia said. “I knew that as long as I got the ball out of the infield, Bradley has the speed to give us the win.
“That was my only focus, to do whatever it took to give us the win.”
Early on, it appeared as though the Scrappers wouldn’t need a ninth-inning rally. Thanks in large part to Mejia’s offense, the Scrappers built a 6-1 lead before the Jammers rallied to go ahead 7-6.
After Zimmer and Greg Allen reached base on walks in the first inning, Mejia scored both runner runners with a triple down the right-field line.
In the fourth inning, Zimmer and Allen again reached on walks, and both again scored, this time on a Mejia double.
“It was just one of those nights, I was in a groove,” Mejia said.
“I’ve felt good at the plate lately. Things are starting to come around.”
The Scrappers owned a 6-2 lead entering the sixth, but the Jammers responded with a five-run inning to take the lead. Scrappers reliever Anthony Vizcaya surrendered four runs and didn’t make it out of the inning.
The Scrappers tied the game in the seventh with a Taylor Murphy groundout that scored Steven Patterson.
Dominic DeMasi and J.P. Feyereisen then each pitched a perfect inning, setting up Mejia’s walk-off hit.
Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak wasn’t surprised to see his catcher swing a hot bat.
“Frankie gets his cuts, he has some tools, there is no question about that,” Kubiak said. “He gets things done, both at the plate and behind the plate. He’s agile, he never gets tired and he has an incredible body for the game.
“For him to squat back there the way he does all the time, he’s been beat up and banged but he never complains.”
The Scrappers (31-39) will finish with more wins than a year ago. The Scrappers have logged 30-win seasons in three of the last four seasons.