AUBURN - They almost had one against Batavia in the first series of the season. Looking back, they had a chance at another one against Mahoning Valley on the road last week too, but some rough late-game pitching by Noah Tritz diverted a win in the second game.
Jennifer Meyers / The Citizen
Doubledays' Manny Rodriguez slides safely into home as Mahoning Valley Scrappers catcher Osiel Flores looks for the tag during Tuesday's game at Falcon Park.
Doubledays' Manny Rodriguez slides safely into home as Mahoning Valley Scrappers catcher Osiel Flores looks for the tag during Tuesday's game at Falcon Park.
In just their fifth series of the season, the Auburn Doubledays earned an elusive sweep, and in convincing fashion too. Tritz also got some redemption, allowing just one hit and striking out one in two innings of work for his first win of the season, a 9-6 effort over Mahoning Valley on Tuesday. The Doubledays also upped their season record to 9-6, three games ahead of the Scrappers in the Pinckney Division.
“We could or should, perhaps, be 12-3, but we've been playing pretty good, not careless or sloppy,” Doubledays manager Dennis Holmberg said. “The bullpen has been a weak spot, but today it was our strong suit. Noah Tritz had a couple of good innings of work and he needed this win. He struggled a little bit with the contributions that he wants to make, so it was good for him to go out there and get this.”
Tritz came into the game with a 21.60 ERA and an 0-2 record. After throwing to seven batters, the second-year Doubleday got his ERA down to 13.50.
“I had high expectations this year and the second and third outings were really bad. I just wanted to come out today and throw strikes,” Tritz said. “I've been keeping my head up. I've been disappointed in the way I've pitched obviously, but I was here last year too and I know how things work. I came into this year expecting (Ron) Lowe and I to be the guys that they give the ball to late in the game and after those two outings, I was moved up to an earlier relief position. I figure that you can either hang your head or do something to get out of it. You've got to start somewhere and I pitched well today and I hope to do the same thing next time.”
It helped that Tritz had a seemingly comfortable 8-5 lead when he stepped on the mound in the fifth inning. Down 2-0 in the first, the Doubledays piled on four hits and as many runs to take the lead. Left fielder Baron Frost, who bumped his batting average over .300 with a 2-for-4 afternoon, belted an RBI double to score Adam Calderone before another big hit, which has become the theme of the latest series with the Scrappers. Brad Emaus became the third different Doubleday in as many days to hit a home run, his first of the season, for two runs to cap off the inning.
“Anytime you get a big first inning like that, things just snowball from there,” Auburn catcher Chris Haupt said. “And anytime you get a three-run home run like that, it's going to be a big inning.”
Two innings later, after Mahoning Valley scored twice more on a Todd Martin two-run double, Auburn responded in the bottom half of the frame. A fielder's choice hit by Emaus to Scrappers third baseman Cristo Arnal was badly overthrown to first base, resulting in Ben Zeskind and Paul Franko crossing home plate. With two outs and two on, Haupt earned his first hit of the season on a two-run double to score Manny Rodriguez and Emaus. Haupt was 0-for-17 coming into the game.
“It wasn't the greatest swing in the world, but I'll take it,” Haupt said. “Maybe that's just what I needed to get me going.”
Led by five different Scrappers that came up with two hits on the day, the Scrappers out-hit the Doubledays for the third time in the series. Frost was the only multiple hitter, who had another RBI in the seventh to score Franko. But once again, Auburn had minimal hitters stranded on base, with just three, and continued to play smart defense, stranding eight Scrappers.
Luis Perez made his third start of the season and threw well in four innings, hurling three strikeouts and scattering six hits and four earned runs. Ron Lowe earned his second save of the series and his fifth of the season in as many opportunities. In 1 2-3 innings, he allowed two hits and one run in the ninth, but helped turn two 1-6-3 double plays.
“Right now, he's the guy in the bullpen that we're going to go to,” Holmberg said. “Sometimes when you get to the eighth inning, those three outs are very tough to get. We just felt that Ronnie Lowe matched up better in that inning with those guys. He had those big double plays and it worked out well for us.”
The Doubledays who have been lacking in a lot of double plays this season, turned four in the game, all in the last five innings. Dan Frega got the loss after starting the first four innings and allowing eight runs (four earned), five hits and three walks.
After a 14-8 loss to the Scrappers on June 28, Auburn came up with big hits every time they needed to in this series. Just about all facets of the game worked for them as well, something they hope to take into Batavia series, starting today on the road.
“That's a tribute to this team so far,” Haupt said. “Every time (Mahoning Valley) scored, we've been able to answer right back. When we played them over there in that 14-8 game, every time they scored, we came back but it got to a point where we just couldn't come back anymore. It was nice to win these games this way and it's always nice to beat teams in your division. We want to try to get as big of a lead on those guys as we can in the beginning of the season. We just do what we can.”
D-days Today
Record: 9-6
Streak: 3 wins
Next: at Batavia, today, 7 p.m.
“We could or should, perhaps, be 12-3, but we've been playing pretty good, not careless or sloppy,” Doubledays manager Dennis Holmberg said. “The bullpen has been a weak spot, but today it was our strong suit. Noah Tritz had a couple of good innings of work and he needed this win. He struggled a little bit with the contributions that he wants to make, so it was good for him to go out there and get this.”
Tritz came into the game with a 21.60 ERA and an 0-2 record. After throwing to seven batters, the second-year Doubleday got his ERA down to 13.50.
“I had high expectations this year and the second and third outings were really bad. I just wanted to come out today and throw strikes,” Tritz said. “I've been keeping my head up. I've been disappointed in the way I've pitched obviously, but I was here last year too and I know how things work. I came into this year expecting (Ron) Lowe and I to be the guys that they give the ball to late in the game and after those two outings, I was moved up to an earlier relief position. I figure that you can either hang your head or do something to get out of it. You've got to start somewhere and I pitched well today and I hope to do the same thing next time.”
It helped that Tritz had a seemingly comfortable 8-5 lead when he stepped on the mound in the fifth inning. Down 2-0 in the first, the Doubledays piled on four hits and as many runs to take the lead. Left fielder Baron Frost, who bumped his batting average over .300 with a 2-for-4 afternoon, belted an RBI double to score Adam Calderone before another big hit, which has become the theme of the latest series with the Scrappers. Brad Emaus became the third different Doubleday in as many days to hit a home run, his first of the season, for two runs to cap off the inning.
“Anytime you get a big first inning like that, things just snowball from there,” Auburn catcher Chris Haupt said. “And anytime you get a three-run home run like that, it's going to be a big inning.”
Two innings later, after Mahoning Valley scored twice more on a Todd Martin two-run double, Auburn responded in the bottom half of the frame. A fielder's choice hit by Emaus to Scrappers third baseman Cristo Arnal was badly overthrown to first base, resulting in Ben Zeskind and Paul Franko crossing home plate. With two outs and two on, Haupt earned his first hit of the season on a two-run double to score Manny Rodriguez and Emaus. Haupt was 0-for-17 coming into the game.
“It wasn't the greatest swing in the world, but I'll take it,” Haupt said. “Maybe that's just what I needed to get me going.”
Led by five different Scrappers that came up with two hits on the day, the Scrappers out-hit the Doubledays for the third time in the series. Frost was the only multiple hitter, who had another RBI in the seventh to score Franko. But once again, Auburn had minimal hitters stranded on base, with just three, and continued to play smart defense, stranding eight Scrappers.
Luis Perez made his third start of the season and threw well in four innings, hurling three strikeouts and scattering six hits and four earned runs. Ron Lowe earned his second save of the series and his fifth of the season in as many opportunities. In 1 2-3 innings, he allowed two hits and one run in the ninth, but helped turn two 1-6-3 double plays.
“Right now, he's the guy in the bullpen that we're going to go to,” Holmberg said. “Sometimes when you get to the eighth inning, those three outs are very tough to get. We just felt that Ronnie Lowe matched up better in that inning with those guys. He had those big double plays and it worked out well for us.”
The Doubledays who have been lacking in a lot of double plays this season, turned four in the game, all in the last five innings. Dan Frega got the loss after starting the first four innings and allowing eight runs (four earned), five hits and three walks.
After a 14-8 loss to the Scrappers on June 28, Auburn came up with big hits every time they needed to in this series. Just about all facets of the game worked for them as well, something they hope to take into Batavia series, starting today on the road.
“That's a tribute to this team so far,” Haupt said. “Every time (Mahoning Valley) scored, we've been able to answer right back. When we played them over there in that 14-8 game, every time they scored, we came back but it got to a point where we just couldn't come back anymore. It was nice to win these games this way and it's always nice to beat teams in your division. We want to try to get as big of a lead on those guys as we can in the beginning of the season. We just do what we can.”
D-days Today
Record: 9-6
Streak: 3 wins
Next: at Batavia, today, 7 p.m.
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