Scrappers jump on Black Bears early

Staff report

Granville, W.Va.

Michael Cooper didn’t have an RBI through the his first three games off the 2019 season.

That changed on Wednesday after he drove in three to help the Mahoning Valley Scrappers beat the West Virginia Black Bears 7-4 at Monongalia County Ballpark.

Cooper got the Scrappers (4-2) on the board in the top of the first inning. Cooper drove Korey Holland on an RBI single top put Mahoning Valley ahead 1-0.

After Jonathan Rodriguez reached base on an error and Jonathan Lopez’s sacrifice bunt in the second, Holland drove in Rodriguez with an RBI single to left field.

Cooper added a one-out, two-run home run in the third after Rodriguez walked to start the inning. It was Cooper’s first of the season.

Later in the third, Henderson De Oleo doubled to center field to score Cody Farhat for a 5-0 lead.

George Valera drove in Holland on a single in the fourth and De Oleo singled in Farhat in the fifth.

Four consecutive two-out hits by the Black Bears (3-3) cut the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the fifth, chasing Scrappers starter Carlos Vargas. Luis Valdez relieved Vargus, recording the final out of the inning.

Valdez (1-1) allowed one hit, a single to Kyle Wilkie to lead off the sixth, and struck out four in 21/3 innings.

Vargas went 42/3 innings in his second start. He allowed four runs on six hits and a walk, striking out one.

Jerson Ramirez pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for his second save.

Will Kobos (0-1) took the loss for the Black Bears. He allowed five runs – four earned – on three hits and four walks. Kobos struck out three in 21/3 innings.

The rubber match between the Scrappers and the Black Bears is scheduled for today at 6:35 p.m.