By Ty Bartell
NILES, OH—The Mahoning Valley Scrappers fell to the Trenton Thunder 7-5 in the opening game of a three-game series Friday night.
Trenton struck first, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning with a two-run double by Jack O'Reilly, taking an early 2-0 lead. After a scoreless second inning, O'Reilly continued to deliver for the Thunder in the third inning, hitting an RBI triple to right field. Pete Durocher added to the Thunder's lead with a sacrifice fly to score O'Reilly, extending the advantage to 4-0 after three innings.
The Scrappers responded in the bottom of the fourth inning when Chang-Yong Lee hit a three-run home run to left-center field, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
In the top of the fifth, the Thunder regained a three-run lead. O'Reilly drove in another run with a sacrifice fly, bringing his RBI total to four for the game. Durocher followed with an RBI double, making it 6-3. Mahoning Valley's Jake Allgeyer hit an RBI triple in the bottom half of the inning, reducing Trenton's lead to 6-4.
Mahoning Valley reliever Cole Chimenti entered in the fifth inning, allowing two runs before settling in to pitch three scoreless frames. Trenton's starter Jacob Balzan left after six innings, in line for the win.
Both teams were held scoreless through the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. In the top of the ninth, Trenton added an insurance run with Andy Blake's sacrifice fly, scoring Santino Rosso to make it 7-4.
The Scrappers made one last push in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI single by T.J. McKenzie, bringing the score to 7-5 and putting the tying run at the plate. However, Ethan Bradford secured the save for Trenton, his third of the season, preserving the victory.
The Thunder (33-29, 19-11) extended their lead over the Scrappers (32-33, 16-15) with the win. The two teams will face off again Saturday, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
