Scrappers’ scoring drought reaches 28 innings

June 27, 2015 at 7:06p.m.

NILES

Through the first five games of the season, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers possessed the most potent offense in the New York-Penn League, averaging more than nine runs per contest.

While that fifth game took place just four days ago, it must seem like an eternity for the Scrappers, whose bats have gone as cold and dreary as this weekend’s forecast.

The Scrappers on Friday fell to State College 5-0 in front of 3,518 fans at Eastwood Field. The loss drops the Scrappers’ record to 3-5, while the Spikes raised their record to 3-5.

Mahoning Valley has not scored a run since the eighth inning of an 11-2 win Tuesday at Batavia. They have been shut out in three consecutive games, and the scoreless inning streak is now at 28 innings. In that span, they have managed just six hits.

The Spikes scored the only run they would need in the fifth inning when Thomas Spits singled, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a Jose Godoy groundout.

The Spikes added a run in the sixth, then broke things open with a three-run seventh.

The Scrappers’ only hits of the game were singles by Anthony Santander and Li Jen Chu.

In an otherwise-struggling offense, Santander has been consistently solid at the plate. The outfielder is batting .419. Santander entered the night leading the NYPL in home runs (3), RBI (9), extra base hits (9), doubles (6) and on-base percentage.

“I feel good at the plate, I feel confident because I’m playing completely healthy for the first time in awhile,” Santander said. “I hope I can continue to keep up the momentum.”

Santander began playing baseball at the age of four in his native land of Venezuela. The self-described “country boy” says he rarely had an opportunity to watch American baseball while growing up, and knew little about how the game was played beyond his hometown of Margarita.

“But it’s baseball, so I always figured it was pretty much the same wherever it’s played,” Santander said.

At the age of 16, Santander was signed by the Cleveland Indians as a non-drafted free agent in 2011. He had an impressive debut in the Arizona Rookie League in 2012, batting .305. At 18 he was promoted to Lake County, but struggled to stay in the lineup the past two summers because of an elbow injury.

“The injuries were frustrating, but I think it made me more focused,” Santander said. “I really wanted to come back and play hard. Not being able to play made me realize how much baseball means to me.”

At 6-foot-2, 190, Santander also possesses the tools to be a solid basketball player. In fact, he believes he was good enough on the hardwood to play at the collegiate level, but is happy with his choice to pursue a career in baseball.

“The game is huge in my country, but it’s everyone’s dream to play in America,” Santander said.

Scrappers manager Travis Fryman believes Santander has what it takes to continue his climb up the ladder.

“If he’s healthy, he’s an awfully impressive hitter,” Fryman said. “Anthony is such a strong, physical young man. His body had such a hard time dealing with the rigors of playing every day, but I think it’s a process that he is learning to deal with and to correct.

“He has some big potential.”