By Ty Bartell
NILES, Ohio — The Mahoning Valley Scrappers secured a 5-4 victory over the West Virginia Black Bears, winning the series two games to one, thanks to a late home run by T.J. McKenzie.
Grant Umberger took the mound for Mahoning Valley in his third start of the season, while Christian Womble started for West Virginia. The first three innings were a pitcher's duel, with both starters keeping the opposition scoreless.
In the top of the fourth, the Black Bears looked poised to strike first when J.T. Marr doubled with Dayne Leonard on first. However, a pair of perfect throws by left fielder Dreylin Holmes and shortstop Jake Allgeyer allowed catcher Adam Juran to tag out Leonard at the plate, preserving the scoreless tie.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Scrappers broke through. With two runners on, Zach Ketterman delivered a clutch two-RBI single, giving Mahoning Valley a 2-0 lead.
The game returned to its early pitchers' duel form in the fifth and sixth innings, with both starters continuing to deal and each notching a quality start. In the bottom of the seventh, Mahoning Valley added to its lead. Kota Suzuki's RBI single plated Dreylin Holmes, and Drew Holderbach followed with an RBI base hit, bringing Suzuki home to double the lead to 4-0.
West Virginia fought back in the top of the eighth. After A.J. Riddle pitched a clean seventh inning in relief of Umberger, he ran into trouble to start the eighth. Kendal Ewell was hit by a pitch, followed by back-to-back singles by Kasten Furr and Alex Vergara to load the bases. Jeff
Liquori then smashed a game-tying grand slam, his sixth home run of the season, over the center-field wall, knotting the game at 4-4. Miles Hellums was called upon to secure the final two outs of the inning, which he did without allowing the Black Bears to take the lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, West Virginia’s Conner Mackay, who had been effective in relief, struck out the first two batters he faced. But with two outs and nobody on, T.J. McKenzie came through in the clutch for Mahoning Valley, blasting a solo home run over the left-center field wall to put the Scrappers back in front 5-4.
Hellums stayed on to pitch the ninth, retiring the Black Bears in order to seal the win for Mahoning Valley and earning his second victory of the Draft League season. Also helping The Scrappers win their second consecutive series in a row at home.
Mahoning Valley (23-24, 7-6) will now hit the road for a brief two-game set against the State College Spikes (26-22, 7-6), starting Thursday, August 1, with a 6:35 p.m. first pitch.
