The Mahoning Valley Scrappers managed to stay on a roll.  For the second night in a row, the Scrappers disposed of the Connecticut Tigers,5-4, using pretty much the same game plan – balance.  Everybody chipped in.

Tyler Naquin drilled a two-out single up the middle to lift the Scrappers to a win.  The Scrappers held a 4-1 lead, but the bullpen was unable to hold it.

Trailing 1-0 in the third, the Scrappers seized a 2-1 lead.  Robel Garcia doubled with one out.  Aaron Siliga whizzed one up the middle to knock Garcia home and tie the game.  Siliga later scored when Tigers starter Endrys Briceno unleashed a wild pitch.

In the third, the Scrappers tacked on two more to increase their lead.  Jeremy Lucas singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Erik Gonzalez was hit by a pitch and Garcia walked to load the bases.  Lucas scored on a Siliga groundout to make it 3-1.  Charlie Valerio then drew a bases loaded walk to force in another run and give the Scrappers a 4-1 advantage.

Mahoning Valley got a fantastic defensive play by Gonzalez in the sixth.  Connecticut had men on first and second with nobody out when Tyler Hanover hit a bullet down the third baseline.  Gonzalez made an amazing fully-extended stop on a ball that would have scored at least one run.  He also made a great throw to second and record an out.

Geoff Davenport (top photo) had a good start for the Scrappers.  The crafty lefty only allowed three hits and walked nobody, while surrendering just one earned run.  Davenport struck out three.

Connecticut, however, managed to tag Scrapper relief pitcher  James Stokes for a couple of runs in the seventh.  Stokes was his own worst enemy during the inning as he hit a batter, walked a batter, and unloaded a wild pitch.  Rafael Homblert pitched the eighth and gave up a game-tying run.

Siliga (above) had a very productive game for the Scrappers.  The second baseman went 3-5 with a stolen base, a run, an intentional walk, and a pair of RBI’s, and continues to show marked improvement in areas he struggled with last season.

Enosil Tejeda pitched a scoreless ninth inning to give the Scrappers a chance to win in their final at-bat.  With the top of the order up (Siliga, Tyler Naquin, and Valerio), Ted Kubiak had to like his chances, but no one in the batting trio found their way on.

Jack Wagoner came in to start the 11th inning for the Scrappers to notch the win.

Gonzalez walked and would score on Naquin’s clutch two-out single to boost the Scrappers.