The Mahoning Valley Scrappers 3rd round draft choice, Dace Kime, made his professional debut.  Kime only worked two innings and gave up an earned run.  The two-inning effort would not qualify Kime to figure in the decision.  The Scrappers kicked the ball around frequently in losing this one, -3, to the Williamsport Crosscutters.

Kime walked Williamsport leadoff hitter, Gustavo Martinez.  He recovered nicely to strike out the next two Crosscutters batters.  Zach Green sent up a welcome sign in the form of an RBI-double to make it 1-0 in favor of the visitors.

The Scrappers responded with their own first-inning outburst.  Crosscutter starter Shane Martin also walked the leadoff hitter, Cody Ferrell, to start the traffic on the bases.  Paul Hendrix doubled Ferrell home to tie the game.  That set the stage for Nellie Rodriguez (below).  The Scrappers first basemen got all of a Martin fastball and deposited it over the centerfield fence to make it 3-1 in favor of Mahoning Valley.

With a two run lead, the Scrappers let the Crosscutters back into the game with a couple of errors.  Robel Garcia let a grounder get through at third base and Hendix dropped a pop-up that he was set to catch in foul territory.  The errors allowed two unearned runs to cross the plate and create a tie game at 3-3.

The generosity continued in the top of the sixth.  Scrappers catcher Sicnarf Loopstok attempted to throw out Dylan Cozens stealing second but the ball bounced past the bag and into center.  Cozens wound up at third and scored on a Logan Pierce double down the first base line.

A wild pitch and a passed ball and a hit batter allowed more Crosscutters to advance.  The result was Williamsport taking a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

Alexis Paredes started the seventh inning on the hill in relief of Matt Whiteside, who pitched well but didn’t get any help from the offense or defense.  Paredes got away with a wild pitch and hit batter to avoid putting the Scrappers further in the hole.

The Indians released a pair of Scrapper players after the July 4th game.  RHP Josh Nervis and OF Tyler Booth are now free to explore other career options.  The moves free up the necessary roster space to get Kime on the active roster.

Kime is the third local product to wear a Scrappers uniform this season.  LF Brian Ruiz and INF Nick Hamilton went to high school in Cleveland.  Kime is a Defiance, Ohio native who played his college ball at the University of Louisville.

Impressive statistic of the night – despite all of the wild pitches and errors, the Scrappers pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts.