Scrappers lose lead against Batavia

June 27, 2016 at 12:05a.m.

NILES

Finally, Batavia manager Angel Espada was able to let out a sigh of relief and allow a smile to creep across his face.

Finally, the Muckdogs are in the win column.

After starting the season with nine straight losses, the Muckdogs found success on Sunday with a 7-2 win over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. The game was played in front of 2,740 sun-soaked fans at Eastwood Field.

The nine consecutive losses to start the season is a record for a franchise that has been in existence since 1939.

“It feels good, it’s a good feeling for these players, because they’ve been pressing to get this [losing streak] out of their system,” Espada said. “You could see that as a team they were pressing a bit.

“This level of play is all about development, but at the same time it’s good for morale to win. Most of these players have been successful in high school and college. They’ve been winners, so they aren’t used to something like what we’ve gone through,” Espada said.

Early on, it looked as though it was going to be another long day for a pitching staff that entered the game with a 7.17 earned run average.

The Scrappers (2-8) wasted no time taking a 2-0 lead. Gabriel Mejia led off the bottom of the first with a walk, then advanced to second on an Alexis Pantoja base hit. Both runners scored when Luke Wakamatsu laced a single to right field.

However, from that point on the Scrappers bats were stymied.

Batavia starter Travis Neubeck worked five innings to pick up the victory, giving up just the two runs on three hits. Following Wakamatsu’s hit in the first, the only base runners allowed by Neubeck were a walk and a single in the fifth inning.

In Neubeck’s only other start of the season, the righty allowed just three hits through five scoreless innings.

“Travis showed that he has good stuff in both outings, and today he showed a nice ability to make adjustments,” Espada said. “And our bullpen, which has struggled, it was outstanding.”

While the Scrappers offense went silent, the Muckdogs heated up, scoring three runs in the fourth inning, followed by a four-run fifth.

Pablo Garcia led the charge with four RBIs. The catcher knocked in a pair of runs in the fourth with a two-out double, then plated two more an inning later with a two-out single.

Aaron Civale, a third-round draft pick out of Northeastern, made his professional debut as the Scrappers starting pitcher. Civale worked just two innings, issuing a walk while striking out three.

Reliever Ryan Colegate was roughed up for seven runs (four earned) while working 22/3 innings.

Despite the early-season struggles for the Scrappers offense, hitting coach Justin Toole remains confident that his troops will find their stride.

“Right now, adjustments are still being made, most of these guys are still getting used to playing under the lights and playing every day,” Toole said. “It’s a long season, and we’ve shown some flashes of what we’re capable of. Now it’s just a matter of finding that consistency and putting it all together.

“Learning to play every day is a major part of this level,” Toole said.

The Scrappers and Muckdogs conclude their three-game series tonight at 7:05.