The Mahoning Valley Scrappers have enjoyed winning the majority of the one-run games they have played so far this year.  Heading into Friday, the Scrappers were 4-3 in those close games.  The Scrappers were also 9-4 at home on the season.  The statistic that wasn’t positive was the extra-innings record, which sat at 1-2.  The Scrappers changed that when Jerrud Sabourin, who had been flashing glove all season, came through with the bat to give the Scrappers a dramatic 4-3 win in 10 innings.

Sabourin reflected on his heroics.  “It felt great to be able to help the team.  My average is not as high as some of the guys, so the other team figures they can throw fastballs by me, so it kind of worked to my advantage and I am very happy with the results.”

Scrapper Skipper, David Wallace, discussed Sabourin’s progress after the game.  “Jerrud has been very good for us the last couple of weeks.  he got off to a little bit of a rough start, but has really been stinging the ball lately.  He has not had as much success as he deserves because he has been hitting a lot of balls hard, but right at people.”

Williamsport put the first run on the scoreboard in their first at-bat. Kyrell Hudson walked on four pitches.  Patrick Murray then singled in Hudson with two outs to give the Crosscutters the 1-0 lead.

Mahoning Valley tallied a run to tie the game in the third.  Cody Elliott reached on an error, stole second, moved to third on a fielders choice, and marched home on a Mike Nesseth wild pitch.  Jake Lowery (above) made it a 2-1 Scrappers lead by starting the fourth inning with his fourth home run of the season.

The Crosscutters added a run in the fifth inning to tie the game.  Kelly Dugan‘s sacrifice fly plated Bob Stumpo.  In the very next inning, Williamsport took a 3-2 lead when Asche singled home Harold Martinez from second base.

The Scrapper bats went numb, and hitless, after Lowery’s homer in the fourth inning until Todd Hankins started the home half of the seventh inning with a single.  Jerrud Sabourin (below) ripped a double into the right-cnter gap to tie the game.  Sabourin was mowed down trying to score from third.  Bryson Myles walked and stole second. When Stumpo, the Crosscutters catcher, fired the ball to second and it leaked out, Sabourin broke for home but Williamsport executed a good throw and tag to force the out.

Scrappers relief pitcher Nate Striz entered the tie game in the eighth. Striz kept the Crosscutters scoreless the rest of the game to earn the win.  The home team threatened in the bottom of the eighth.  Alex Lavisky drew a leadoff walk.  KC Serna was inserted to pinch run for Lavisky and trotted to second on a wild pitch.   Serna got to third on a Jordan Smith single, but was erased on a grounder hit to third by John Barr.  Smith and Barr moved up a base on Bryan Morgado‘s wild pitch.  Hankins was walked to load the bases.  Sabourin and Elliott then struck out to let Morgado off of the hook.

Credit the Scrappers for hustling.  If the 2011 version of this team has a dynamic, so far, it has to be hustle.  They run every ground ball out, they are on second base while a fly out they just hit is being caught, and, most obvious, they can steal some bases.  David Wallace said that his guys would play with respect for the game, and in 2011, he has not been a liar yet.

In the bottom of the tenth, Smith and Barr received one out walks. Sabourin, who tied the game, then struck out with an out and the bases loaded in the eighth,  was the hero with a single driving home Smith in the tenth.  Sabourin, who was 2-4 on the night, displayed some great clutch hitting during a very entertaining and competitive baseball game.

“It was a satisfying win for us tonight”, remarked Wallace.  “It is fun to win those types of games. I like the wins that we can kind of coast through because it is not as stressful.  Winning like this tonight with the good crowd into it, guys coming up in big situations and coming through, all make it a very satisfying win for us.”

The Scrappers head to the road for three more with these Crosscutters in Williamsport starting tomorrow before having a day off on Tuesday and returning to Eastwood Field on Wednesday for a three-game home stand against Connecticut.