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Published: Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Realini's slam leads Scrappers

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By CHUCK HOUSTEAU

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NILES — If Tuesday's game between the Mahoning Valley Scrappers and Jamestown Jammers is any indication of things to come, it should be an exciting finish to the regular season.

In the opening game of a three-game series, the Scrappers hit Jamestown pitchers often and hard. In return, they were hit often and hard by the Jammers pitching staff.

After 17 Mahoning Valley hits, two home runs (including a grand slam by Dustin Realini) and three hit batsmen that resulted in two Jamestown pitchers and manager Bo Porter being ejected, the Scrappers trounced the Jammers, 13-3.

The win enabled the Scrappers (32-28) to take over sole possession of first place in the Pinckney Division of the New York-Penn League, a half-game ahead of State College and one game in front of Auburn.

Close race

With five teams within four games of first place, every one of the 16 remaining games is key for Mahoning Valley. The Scrappers will finishing the season by facing Pinkney Division teams.

"It's very nice to finish the season in a competitive fashion," Scrappers manager Rouglas Odor said. "This is a very nice way to develop players in this way and to evaluate players by seeing how they react down the stretch.

"This was a very nice start and we control our own destiny."

The Scrappers wasted little time in showing the Jammers (27-31) they were serious about this title chase.

Realini excels

Scrappers first baseman Realini hasn't been in a championship run since high school but he had the best game of his young professional career in leading the onslaught.

Realini went 3-for-5 with six RBIs and a grand slam to lead the hit parade. Matt McBride went 4-for-4 with an RBI, while Jason Goedert had three hits and an RBI. Andy Lytle also chipped in with two hits and an RBI.

"It was good to see this kind of offense," said Realini, who blasted his grand slam two pitches after just missing a home run that went foul by a few feet down the left-field line.

"I thought he would throw me the same pitch so I just waited a bit longer and hit it hard," Realini said. "We just want to win each games and the playoffs will take care of itself."

Team effort

The Scrappers' effort came one night after they were blanked 1-0 by Batavia. Odor said this game was a total team effort.

"We got great pitching tonight also," Odor said. "But the offense was the key tonight."

The Scrappers exploded for four base hits in the first inning that resulted in two runs for an early 2-0 lead.

Lytle, Goedert and McBride all lined singles against Jamestown starter Stu Alexander, who loaded the bases. Realini hit a deep fly ball to center field that went off the glove of the Jammers centerfielder to chase home Lytle for his first RBI.

Goedert then scored the Scrappers' second run when the ball got past the catcher. Alexander avoided any further trouble by striking out Josh Rodriguez and getting Stephen Douglass to fly out to right field.

Mike Eisenberg (2-1) started the game and got the win after pitching five strong innings. Eisenberg, who had struggled in his last two outings, gave up just one run on three hits while striking out three.

———

JAMESTOWN SCRAPPERS

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Raynor dh 3 0 0 0 Denham cf 4 2 1 0

Coghlan 3b 4 0 1 0 Montero ph-rf 1 0 0 0

Blackwood lf 4 0 1 0 Lytle 2b 6 2 2 1

Morrison 1b 4 0 0 0 Goedert 3b 6 3 3 1

McDougall rf 3 2 2 1 McBride c 4 2 4 1

Webb 2b 4 0 0 0 Realini 1b 5 1 3 6

Ochoa c 4 1 1 0 Rodriguez ss 4 0 0 0

Rogers cf 4 0 2 1 Douglas lf 4 0 1 0

Garcia ss 3 0 0 1 Cmbrbtch dh 3 1 1 0

De Leon rf 3 2 1 1

Thomas ph-cf 1 0 1 0

Totals 33 3 7 3 Totals 41 13 17 10

Jamestown 010 000 110 — 3

Scrappers 201 202 60x — 13

E—Ochoa (3), Garcia (2), Eisenberg 1. DP—Jamestown 1. LOB—Jamestown 7, Scrappers 11. 2B—McBride (10), Thomas (3). HR—McDougall (2), De Leon (3), Realini (4). SB—Ochoa (1), Denham (5), Douglas (6), Thomas (2). CS—McBride (2). SF—Garcia.

IP H R ER BB SO

Jamestown

Alexander L, 0-5 4 9 5 4 0 2

Sosa 1 1-3 3 2 2 2 1

Madden 2-3 0 2 2 1 0

Benitez 1-3 4 4 4 0 0

Castor 1 2-3 1 0 0 0 2

Scrappers

Eisenberg W, 2-1 5 3 1 1 2 3

Riera 2 3 1 1 0 1

Woods 2 1 1 1 0 1

Madden pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. WP—Sosa. Balk—Eisenberg. HBP—by Alexander (Cumberbatch), by Sosa (McBride), by Madden (De Leon), by Benitez (Rodriguez), by Riera (Raynor). Umpires—Home, Travis Hatch; First, Jason Cooksey. T—2:52. A—2,760.

HOW THEY SCORED

Scrappers 1st — Denham popped out (F-6). Lytle singled to center field. Goedert singled to center field, Lytle to 2nd. McBride singled to left field, Lytle to 3rd, Goedert to 2nd. Realini singled to center field, Lytle and Goedert scored, McBride to 3rd, Realini to 2nd on error (E-2). Rodriguez struck out. Douglas flied out (F-7). 2 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB

Jamestown 2nd — McDougall walked, Webb flied out (F-7). McDougall advanced to 2nd on balk. Ochoa grounded out (4-3), McDougall to 3rd. Rogers singled to left field, McDougall scored. Garcia grounded into a force out (6-4), Rogers out at 2nd. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB

Scrappers 3rd — McBride doubled to center field. Realini reached on error (E-6), McBride to 3rd. Rodriguez grounded into double play (3-4-3), McBride scored, Realini out at 2nd. Douglas singled to right field. Douglas stole 2nd. Cumberbatch popped out (F-5). 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB

Scrappers 4th — De Leon homered to left field. Denham singled to right field. Lytle struck out. Denham stole 2nd. Goedert grounded out (5-3). McBride singled to shortstop, Denham scored. McBride caught stealing 2nd (2-4). 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB
Scrappers 6th — Denham walked. Lytle flied out (F-7). Goedert singles to left field, Denham to 3rd. On wild pitch, Denham scored, Goedert to 2nd. McBride hit by pitch. Realini singled to left field, Goedert scored, McBride to 2nd. Pitching change: Madden replaced Sosa. Rodriguez flied out (F-9), McBride to 3rd. Douglas grounded out (4-3). 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB

Jamestown 7th — Webb flied out (F-7). Ochoa singled to center field. Ochoa stole 2nd. Rogers singled to shortstop, Ochoa to 3rd. Garcia flied out (F-9), Ochoa scored. Raynor hit by pitch, Rogers to 2nd. Coghlan singled to shortstop, Rogers to 3rd, Raynor to 2nd. Blackwood flied out (F-7). 1 run, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB

Scrappers 7th — Cumberbatch walked. De Leon hit by pitch, Cumberbatch to 2nd. Pitching change: Benitez replaced Madden (Madden and Jamestown manager Bo Porter ejected by HP umpire Travis Hatch). Denham popped out (F-4). Lytle singled to right field, Cumberbatch scored, De Leon to 3rd. Goedert singled to left field, De Leon scored, Lytle to 2nd. McBride singled to third base, Lytle to 3rd, Goedert to 2nd. Realini homers to left field, Lytle, Goedert and McBride scored. Rodriguez hit by pitch. Pitching change: Castor replaced Benitez (Benitez ejected by HP umpire Travis Hatch). Douglas grounded out (3U), Rodriguez to 2nd. Cumberbatch struck out. 6 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB

Jamestown 8th — Pitching change: Woods replaced Riera. Morrison grounded out (4-3). McDougall homered to left field. Webb flied out (F-9). Ochoa flied out (F-9). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB

Wednesday, August 23, 2006