Hitless Hankins sends Scrappers past Auburn

June 23, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

NILES

Ethan Hankins was nearly perfect in the Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ 8-4 win over the Auburn Doubledays.

He pitched 42/3 hitless innings, allowing a walk to Ricardo Mendez in the second. It was his only blemish. Hankins’ eight strikeouts were the most by a Mahoning Valley pitcher this season.

“I don’t really have any expectations of myself any time I go out,” Hankins said. “Whether it’s a bullpen or any time I’m on the mound, I just know the stuff that I have to work on and my strengths and my weaknesses.”

Saturday’s win was the longest outing in Hankins’ professional career. He pitched four innings in his first start of the season against the Batavia Muckdogs on Monday. He made pitched three innings in his only start in the Arizona League last season.

“I just hit my pitching count — 75 pitches. I think I threw 76,” Hankins said. “Can’t go over that. The Indians know what they’re doing with their pitchers so you just gotta trust ‘em.”

While Hankins was rolling from the first pitch, Auburn starter Pedro Gonzalez wasn’t so lucky. Gonzalez allowed six runs on three hits and four walks in two-thirds of an inning.

The Scrappers (6-3) scored all six runs against Gonzalez in a 24-minute bottom of the first inning. The six-run first is the most runs scored in an inning by the Scrappers this season.

Ray Delgado and Michael Cooper had RBI singles, Bryan Lavastida and Henderson De Oleo drove in runs on bases-loaded walks and Billy Wilson had RBI groundout. Lavastida also scored on a wild pitched.

An RBI double by Johnathan Rodriguez and a sacrifice fly from Lavastida increased the lead to 8-0.

“Make sure they’re pushing the pedal and moving forward,” Scrappers manager Dennis Malave said. “Make sure they’re looking for ways to get better, looking for ways to play the game, especially when you’re ahead in the game.”

Francis Cespedes (1-0) recorded the final out of the fifth inning.

Brian Eichhorn allowed back-to-back walks to open the sixth. Jose Sanchez’s RBI single was Auburn’s (2-6) first hit of the game. Jake Alu scored later in the ining on a wild pitch by Eichhorn to cut the lead to 8-2.

Alu added an RBI single to left field off Eichhorn and a run scored when Rafael Bautista grounded into a double play.

The Scrappers and Doubledays will play the rubber match of the three-game series today. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. at Eastwood Field.

Number 100

Saturday’s Cleveland Indians starting pitcher was Aaron Civale.

Civale pitched for the Scrappers in 2016 and became the 100th player in franchise history to get the call to the Majors.

In 13 starts with Mahoning Valley, Civale went 0-2 with a 1.67 ERA.

Roster Moves

After one game with the Scrappers, Henry Pujols was recalled to the Lake County Captains. Pujols was 0 for 3 with a walk on Friday.