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Scrappers sweep Cyclones to bounce back
Team rebounds after getting swept on road
NILES
The roller coaster analogy has been a cliche for too long. Perhaps a ferris wheel analogy is a path less traveled when a team goes from a losing streak to a winning streak.
The Scrappers are nearing the top of the ride getting a great view of the city after a 4-2 win to sweep the Brooklyn Cyclones on Thursday night. That’s a much better view than the carnival worker with a cigarette half hanging off his lip that the Scrappers were metaphorically gazing at when they were the ones getting swept at Williamsport last weekend.
“This is huge,” second baseman Ernie Clement said. “To bounce back shows a lot about the character of this club.”
Clement smacked the game-winning hit when his double found the left-center gap to bring home Clark Scolamiero in the seventh inning.
Two batters later, Oscar Gonzalez singled Clement home to take control of the game in the late innings.
“I just wanted to look for a pitch to drive,” Clement said. “I got a fastball up in the zone and fortunately I put a good swing on it.
“They threw me a bunch of fastballs all night so I was looking for one up in the zone.”
Clement, Jonathan Larueano and Ulysses Cantu each had two hits for the home team. Cesar Ventura pitched well in relief, earning the win after 21/3 innings to close the game out, allowing just one hit, walking none and striking out five.
Cantu said the team lacked energy during their poor performance in Williamsport. It was a topic of conversation after their fourth-consecutive loss this past Sunday.
“We talked about it. It had a lot to do with energy,” Cantu said. “We were a little down but coming home we found [the energy].”
In a short season, every series means more in terms of the standings and team morale. While Mahoning Valley manager Luke Carlin said it’s too early in the season to look at standings, how the team handles views from the top or the foul-smelling carnival worker at the bottom makes a difference by the time those standings have significant meaning.
“It’s all about having the right perspective,” Carlin said. “Whether it’s a losing streak or a winning streak you definitely know when you’re on one or the other. But keeping the guys focused on the right things levels out those peaks and valleys.
“Hopefully we’re closer to the peaks than the valleys but it’s how you react to failures and how you win when you’re winning that has a lot to do with success at the end of the year.”
Cantu has been one of the peaks for the Scrappers. The 19-year-old, sixth round draft pick of the Indians is hitting .318 on the season and has been impressing his manager on his move from third base to first.
“He’s been outstanding at first,” Carlin said. “His footwork and glove has been outstanding at first. He’s done a fantastic job so there’s no urgency to move him. He’s playing at a really high level. There’s still some work to do but I’m really happy with his performance defensively.”
The Scrappers will look to cure their road woes starting today when they’ll head to eastern New York to take on Hudson Valley for a weekend series.