The Mahoning Valley Scrappers stayed hot with a 2-1 victory over the Tri-City ValleyCats giving then a sweep and running their win streak to eight in a row.  The pitching during the win streak has been unbelievable, despite an offense that has scored two runs for a few of those wins.  The Scrappers have yet to lose a day game this season.

In the top of the second, Kyle Bellows put the Scrappers on the board with a home run, his second in as many days.  Bellows’ sixth bomb this season gave the Scrappers a 1-0 lead.  This is the third game that the Scrappers have gone yard, best streak in that department this season.

The ValleyCats responded with a run in the bottom of the second.  In the top of the third, Kyle Smith hit a one out triple and later scored on a Greg Folgia RBI-single, increasing the lead to 2-1. 

The Mahoning Valley pitching staff took the one run lead and preserved it over the next seven innings to complete the sweep on the road.

Clayton Cook started and went 5 1/3 for the Scrappers.  Cook struck out 4, walked two and surrendered the lone ValleyCat run in the second.  Cook improved to 3-2 for the season with the victory.  Nick Kirk pitched the next three innings and turned in a stellar performance.  Guido Fonseca bailed Kirk out in the ninth.  Fonseca came in with runners on the corners and one out and got the final two outs to earn his second save of 2009. 

The Scrappers bus next heads to Vermont to battle the Lake Monsters.  Brett Brach will try to keep the Scrappers win streak going.  Game time is at 7:05 on Friday and you can hear the action on AM-1390 with Marc Means.