Photo -Courtesy of Nick Mays

The Scrappers Marty Popham and the Yankees Sean Black pitched like anything but short season Single-A prospects. Through four complete innings, the two starting pitchers combined for a total of 13 strikeouts.  In the end, it was a crack off the bat of Chun Chen in the bottom of the 11th inning that vaulted the Scrappers to knotting the series at one game apiece.

The irony of the Scrappers walk-off homer win is that Staten Island had hit 45 homers during the regular season and Mahoning Valley only had 11.

The Yankees got a lead in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs, Carmen Angelini singled. The next batter for the Yankees, DH Jimmy Paredes doubled driving in Angelini. DeAngelo Mack continued the two-out hitfest with a single up the middle which scored Paredes. After four-and-a-half innings the Yankees held a 2-0 lead.

Jason Smit doubled to start the bottom half of the fifth inning. He advanced to third on a wild pitch with nobody out. The next batter, Casey Frawley doubled deep off of the left-centerfield wall scoring Smit and cutting the Yankees lead to 2-1 and knocking Black out of the game.  Chun Chen laid down a sacrifice bunt off of new Yankee pitcher Griffin Bailey moving Frawley to third with one out. Argenis Martinez singled with two outs to plate Frawley and tie the game at two runs apiece.

With one out in the ninth inning, Jordan Henry singled and Martinez walked, but the Scrappers failed to capitalize on the opportunity.

In the bottom of the 11th inning of the 2000 NYPL finals, the Scrappers were playing Staten Island, and won that game on a leadoff homer in the bottom of the 11th inning.  Props to GM Dave Smith who walked into the pressbox during the tenth inning and laid claim to history repeating itself.  With one swing of Chen’s bat off of Staten Island pitcher Ronny Marte,  Smitty looked like a genius.  Chen was due to have a big hit sooner or later, he is just too good of a hitter.  “That was my biggest hit of my career”, said Chun through his interpreter (Jason Lynn), “I got a fastball, put a good swing on it, and the ball carried out”.

Jason Smit, Ben Carlson, Chen, and Martinez all had two hits each for the Scrappers.

Cory Burns was awesome in 3 1/3 innings of relief in garnering the win.  Burns had it going striking out 4 Yankees in his appearance and is credited with the win.  Antoine Hubbard and Matt Packer also pitched scoreless relief in keeping the loud Yankee bats quiet.

After the game, Travis Fryman tried to offer explanations on the mystique of this 2009 Scrappers team.  ” Our strength all year has been our pitching depth and ability to just win games.  I can’t explain that, I have been scratching my head all year trying to figure out how we ended up with the best record in the league.  I don’t think we had the most talented club in the league by any means, but I think tonight was a great example of what kind of ballclub we have, just finding ways to win”.

The Scrappers and Yankees hook it up Wednesday night, winner-takes-it-all.  Clayton Cook will start for the Scrappers.  “Cookie and some good guys in the bullpen, I like our chances”, said Fryman about the deciding contest.  First pitch is at 7:05 PM at Eastwood Field.  Marc Means will be on AM-1390 calling the game for those unable to attend.

$2 made from every ticket sold is being donated to the Luke Holko Fund.

Playoff Smit-O-Meter:  2-4, 2B (1), Run