Scrappers win home run derby

By Dan Hiner

dhiner@vindy.com

Niles

Dariel Gomez was the first batter Nick Mikolajchak faced.

Mikolajchak got Gomez to pop out to third base on his first pitch, but had to avoid the barrel of a shattered bat.

The right-handed pitcher made his debut with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in a 6-4 win over the State College Spikes.

“Any time you can break the bat of a hitter, it’s fun,” Mikolajchak said. “But after that, you have to move onto the next one.”

The 21-year-old Houston native entered to start the seventh with the Scrappers nursing a 5-3 lead. He pitched 11⁄3 innings, allowing one unearned run and two walks with three strikeouts.

Mikolajchak was promoted from Arizona earlier and arrived on Friday night. He was an 11th-round pick out of Sam Houston State in this year’s draft.

He was told of the call-up on Wednesday after a game in Arizona, so he had time to adjust.

“Luckily I had an off day before my travel day,” Mikolajchak said. “It wasn’t too bad. The thing that was probably the toughest was the time change — losing three hours. But I think I’m adjusting pretty well.

“The guys are helping me out, helping me get acquainted.”

The Scrappers (12-10) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning.

Michael Cooper hit an RBI single in the first. Henderson De Oleo and Pedro Alfonseca hit solo home runs to left field in the second inning.

Lavastida added an RBI groundout in the third.

Carlos Soto scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to get the Spikes (13-9) on the board. A sacrifice fly by Stanley Espinal cut the lead to 4-2.

Ray Delgado hit a ball beyond the Scrappers’ bullpen for Mahoning Valley’s third home run of the night.

“It was good to see our guys taking some good swings at some good pitches to hit, and the ball was carrying for them,” Scrappers manager Dennis Malave said.

Scrappers starter Liam Jenkins pitched three scoreless innings before allowing two runs in the fourth. He allowed two runs — one earned — on two hits and four walks with two strikeouts in four innings pitched.

Spikes starter Jeremy Randolph ((0-1) only lasted 12⁄3 innings. He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks.

Luis Valdez (2-1) allowed one run on one hit and two walks. He struck out two in two innings pitched.

Tim Herrin recorded the final five outs for his sixth save of the season.

Mikolajchak appeared in four games in Arizona. He allowed one unearned run in six innings pitched.

“It was good to have him pitch [in the seventh inning],” Malave said. “After coming in late last night, it gives an idea of what [he’s] capable of.”

Roster Move

Third baseman Henry Pujols was sent down to the Scrappers from Lake County. It’s Pujols’ second stint in Niles this season. He played one game on June 21 before getting reassigned to the Captains the next day. Pujols went 0 of 3 with two strikeouts on Saturday.