Photo Courtesy of Nick Mays

On a chilly Fall evening, two 19-year old pitching prospects took control of their respective team’s destinies. For Mahoning Valley, Clayton Cook, the Indians 9th round draft pick of 2008 took to the hill. Staten Island sent Jose Ramirez, a 2007 free agent from the Dominican Republic.  With everything at stake, neither of the youngsters factored into the decision.  Relief pitching was the difference as Staten Island overcame a 2-run deficit to defeat Mahoning Valley 5-2 in front of 1933 fans at Eastwood Field.

The Scrappers drew first blood when Ben Carlson parlayed an infield single into a run. Carlson moved to second on a passed ball and would come around to score when Rafael Vera smashed a triple into right center. Chun Chen, last night’s hero, doubled to knock home Vera and give the Scrappers a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth inning, Scrapper-killer Neil Medchill doubled off of the wall in right center. Zoilo Almonte singled to right knocking Medchill home with no one out. With Almonte at third and one out, Cook battled back to get out of the inning only giving up a single run where the score stood at 2-1 in favor of Mahoning Valley.

In the Yankees half of the seventh inning, Almonte singled off of Vidal Nuno. The next batter, Kyle Higashioka, doubled into the left field corner scoring Almonte and tying the contest at two. That would be it for Nuno who was relieved by Austin Adams with nobody out and Higashioka on second base. Adams rose to the challenge and got the required three outs to keep the game tied at two.

In the eighth, the Yankees struck big.   Jimmy Paredes led off with a single and Mack DeAngelo walked. Luke Merton flew out to center and Paredes tagged and advanced to third. Neil Medchill hit a high chopper toward second that Adams cut off and tried to make a play at home, which failed.  With runners on first and second, Almonte delivered a dagger – a 2 RBI double off of new pitcher Tyler Sturdevant putting Staten Island up 5-2.

Ben Watkins, the winning pitcher, was terrific in relief for the Yankees. He entered the game to start the fourth inning and only gave up one hit over the next five innings. Graham Stoneburner relieved Watkins to pitch the ninth inning for the Yankees and earn the save.  When the final out was recorded, the Yankee dugout emptied noisily as the team celebrated on the Scrappers pitchers mound.   

For Staten Island, it is their sixth NYPL Championship. 

Travis Fryman had nothing but good things to say about his Scrappers club after the game.  “You want these guys to go home on a positive note.  It is hard to lose big games, you can’t take away what they accomplished as a club this year.  It’s over, and we will prepare for next year, it’s all you can do.”

I asked Fryman about a return for next season to which he responded, “I plan on coming back here, absolutely.”

So the 2009 chapter of the New York – Penn League comes to a close.  Congratulations to all of the players in the league, not just Mahoning Valley, for making it a memorable year full of promise.  It was nice to meet so many young men who will serve as the reinforcements to Major League Baseball someday.

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