Scrappers Win Eighth Straight over Auburn

Auburn, NY- The Mahoning Valley Scrappers earned their third straight win this season and eighth straight over the Auburn Doubledays on Saturday night at Falcon Park. The Scrappers took advantage of Ulysses Cantu's first inning homerun and outstanding starting pitching from Francisco Perez to top Auburn, 5-4.  
            Ernie Clement started the game by reaching on an Auburn error. After a fly out, Oscar Gonzalez followed with a single to put runners at first and second. Cantu followed with a three run blast to leftfield for the early 3-0 lead. The homerun was Cantu's fourth of the season.
            Mahoning Valley would then add another run in the top of the second inning. Jonathan Laureano started the inning with a single. Then with two outs he would come around to score on Jesse Berardi's RBI double for a 4-0 lead.  
            Francisco Perez cruised through the first five innings of the game for the Scrappers. The Doubledays would then chip away at the Scrappers lead with a single run in the sixth inning and two runs in the seventh.  
            With the lead down to a single run, the Scrappers would get a big insurance run in the top of the eighth inning. With two outs Laureano singled to drive in Oscar Gonzalez who had started the inning with a base hit.  
            Auburn would once again cut the Scrappers lead to just one on an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth before Kyle Nelson slammed the door shut in the ninth to secure the win.
            With the win the Scrappers become the second team in the New York Penn League this season to the 20 win mark. And thanks to a West Virginia rain out at home, the Scrappers now have sole possession of first place in the Pinckney Division.  
            Perez (2-2) earned the win with 5.1 strong innings of work. He scattered three hits while allowing one unearned run. Perez walked two and struck out a season high six. Randy Valladares earned a hold with 1.1 innings of relief. Valladares allowed two earned runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out one. Ping-Hsueh Chen also earned a hold in 0.1 innings. He did not allow a hit, run, walk or record a strike out. Domingo Jimenez would also earn a hold in one inning of work. Jimenez did not allow a hit but did allow one unearned run. He walked one and struck out one. Nelson (2) picked up his second save in one inning of work. Nelson allowed just one hit. He did not record a walk or strike out.
  The Scrappers now head to State College for their lone visit to the Spikes. Grant Hocking will get the start for the Scrappers. First pitch is set for 6:05. The Scrappers will return home for another PNC Bank Thursday Buck Night on July 27^th. Call the Scrappers box office at 330-505-0000 to get your tickets or get them online at www.mvscrappers.com.