Triples power Scrappers

By STEVE RUMAN

sports@vindy.com

NILES

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers pounded out three triples en route to Sunday’s 4-2 win over Batavia in front of 2,521 sun-soaked fans at Eastwood Field.

The victory gave the Scrappers (9-7) a series win over the Muckdogs after they had been swept at State College.

“This was straight up huge for us,” Scrappers catcher Bryan Lavastida said. “We lose three straight, but get on the bus and come right back here and take two from a really good team.

“That’s just the way we are. We take the same approach every day. We never lost confidence. Now, our confidence just got higher.”

Lavastida, Ray Delgado and Johnathan Rodriguez tripled.

As a team, the Scrappers collected seven triples in the three-game series against Batavia.

“As soon as I became a catcher, my triples went down, but I guess it becomes contagious,” Lavastida said. “You see one guy do it, and you want to follow up with one of your own.”

“Seven triples in three games, that’s pretty crazy.”

The Scrappers bats were silenced for the first four innings, but they came alive in the fifth. The first five batters collected hits, including a two-RBI triple from Rodriguez and a run-scoring single from Pedro Alfonseca.

Bryan Rocchio plated a run with a sacrifice fly.

Juan Parades pitched three scoreless innings of relief while Jerson Ramirez picked up his third save.

The Scrappers will begin a three-game series tonight at Williamsport against the Crosscutters.

THE WRIGHT STUFF

Less than a month ago, J.D. Orr played three games at Eastwood Field as he was winding down his collegiate career. Orr played for Wright State, which played a three-game road series against Youngstown State University in mid-May.

Jump ahead to mid-June, and Orr again found himself in the ballpark, this time in a Muckdogs uniform. Orr was acquired by the Miami Marlins in the 10th round of the June draft and immediately became a fixture in the Muckdogs lineup.

“Pretty neat to come here last month as a college player, then come right back here at the start of my pro career,” Orr said. “I really like this place, I’ll always have some pretty fond memories of playing here.”

In the three-game series against YSU, Orr went 7-for-14. He also made history at Eastwood Field when he recorded a stolen base which made him the career base-stealing leader at Wright State. Orr ended up with an NCAA-best 60 stolen bases on the season.

“That was a pretty memorable day, so that alone made it pretty cool to come back here with Batavia,” Orr said. “I know this stadium well, I like this place.”

In three games road games against the Scrappers, Orr has five hits in 11 at-bats. He has five of his eight league-leading stolen bases at Eastwood Field.

“When I was in high school, I wasn’t a good base-stealer,” Orr said. “I got thrown out half of the time. But our coaches at Wright State taught the art of stealing bases. It’s half speed, and the other half mental, reading pitchers, things like that.”

Orr’s success goes far beyond Eastwood Field. In addition to his league-best in stolen bases, Orr entered Sunday’s game leading the New York-Penn League in batting average (.452), on-base percentage (.556), runs (15) and hits (18).

“It’s been quite a transition from college to pro,” said Orr, a native of Mount Vernon. “I literally went straight from playing college ball to Batavia. I never had time to let it sink in, which probably helped the process.

“I didn’t have time to get nervous. I just went out and continued to do what I’ve been doing my entire life — play the game I love.”

Orr was not in the starting lineup. He made an appearance in the ninth inning as a pinch-runner.