Bah, humbug: Yankees top sloppy Scrappers

July 24, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

NILES

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Thursday celebrated Christmas In July at Eastwood Field when they hosted Staten Island in the finale of a three-game series.

Playing to the theme of the night, the Scrappers were in a giving mood in the top of the seventh and ninth innings. Their generosity resulted in a 12-4 Yankees win in front of 4,238 festive fans.

The Scrappers (13-19), who had taken the first two games of the series, saw their season-high three-game winning streak come to an end.

The Yankees took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning on a Junior Valera single, which scored a pair of runs. The Scrappers cut their deficit to one run in the fourth when Jodd Carter doubled, plating Emmanuel Tapia.

The game remained 2-1 until the seventh, when the Yankees sent 11 men to the plate and scored six runs. The inning included two errors by Carter — on the same play — and five hits. The Yankees scored a run on Carter’s second error, a run on a wild pitch, and another on a balk.

Dominic Demasi was roughed up for all six runs.

In the ninth, James Stokes hit a batter, walked a pair (including one with the bases loaded) and gave up four runs.

Mahoning Valley second baseman Mark Mathias continues to be a bright spot in the Scrappers’ offense. Mathias extended his hitting streak to six games with a double and an RBI sacrifice fly. In his last four games, Mathias is 12-for-23 with two doubles, two triples, a homer, six runs scored and five RBIs.

“I’m feeling really comfortable at the plate; I’m seeing the ball well,” Mathias said. “I struggled out of the gate, but baseball is a grind. It’s a game where you have to trust in yourself and have patience.

“No matter who you are, you go through streaks. When things are going bad you just have to remain focused and do what got you here. You can never get too high or too low on yourself.”

A SCRAPPY CHRISTMAS

While the Scrappers celebrated Christmas on Thursday, they will spend the weekend playing Santa to their fans.

Five giveaways are scheduled over the next two games.

In tonight’s series opener against Brooklyn, the first 1,000 fans will receive free T-shirts and foam fingers. The first 500 fans will also receive a a travel tote bag.

The night will conclude with a fireworks display.

On Saturday, the first 1.000 fans will take home a CC Sabathia bobblehead.

The first 500 children will also receive Scrappers youth jerseys.

The homestand concludes Sunday with Bark At The Park. Fans are encouraged to bring their dogs to Eastwood Field.

Attendance figures

Thursday’s crowd of 4,238 brought the Scrappers’ season attendance to 44,260 through 14 home games – an average of 3,161 fans per game.

The Scrappers rank eighth in attendance in the 14-team New York-Pennn League.

Brooklyn is averaging a league-high 6,315 fans per game, while Batavia is at a league-low 1,000.