AUBURN - It was an interesting first day on the job for Ryan Schimpf, but after the game was complete, he and his teammates came out on top.

The newest member of the Auburn Doubledays arrived in town on Thursday and was thrust into a lineup that had recently seen its ups and downs.

“I was willing to play,” Schimpf said. “I wanted to play, I'm excited to be here.”

Formerly of the 2009 College World Series champion LSU baseball team, Schimpf promptly earned his first hit, followed by his first error at second base, his first run scored and several hours after coming into town, he experienced his first professional win as Auburn defeated first-place Mahoning Valley 4-2 at Falcon Park.

“I guess (getting the error) was good to get out of the way in the first game,” Schimpf said. “But whatever, it is what it is and I'll pick it back up again tomorrow.”

In what appeared to be an ideal lineup, with standout shortstop Ryan Goins in the leadoff spot and Schimpf, Sean Ochinko, Welinton Ramirez and Yan Gomes occupying the top five slots, the Doubledays racked up nine hits - four in the bottom of the eighth inning. The game was tied for most of the night, but an Ochinko leadoff double shoved the momentum toward Auburn for once. Then, after hitting a double in the first inning, Ramirez cracked a triple to the same spot where he has dominated all season defensively - right field. Ramirez's triple scored Ochinko easily and then the Dominican Republic native scored an insurance run on a Gomes double. Those consecutive extra-base hits came at Jose Urena's expense.

“(Ramirez) has meant everything to us all season long,” Doubledays manager Dennis Holmberg said. “He's been a solid player defensively and offensively. He's gotten big hits throughout the season, but he's a hitter. He hits the ball to the opposite field very well, he makes great plays out there, he makes strong throws and in certainly, in my mind, he's an all-star.”

Urena evened his record at 2-2 in relief of Marty Popham, who had nearly thrown a no-hitter against the Doubledays just three weeks ago.

This time, Auburn earned five hits off Popham in his six innings of work. The Scrappers' ace allowed two runs and two walks, but struck out nine as the Doubledays didn't have one base runner in the third, fourth or fifth innings.

Goins scored in the first as Ochinko grounded into a double play with two runners on. The Scrappers shored up the score in the next inning when Tim Palinscar (1-for-3) hit an RBI single to score Greg Folgia. Mahoning Valley never held a lead in the game as Auburn's Gomes scored Schimpf in the sixth on a single. The Scrappers answered back in the seventh with a Casey Frawley RBI triple off David Miller. Both of the Scrappers runs were unearned, however, as Auburn tallied four total errors in the game.

Egan Smith started strong for the Doubledays, working five innings and giving up just two hits and striking out five, but couldn't get the run support to earn the win. Miller worked the next two innings, but it was Austin Armstrong who earned his second win of the season in just one inning on the mound. Beck recorded his fifth save of the season, but it didn't come easy as he sent Palinscar to first on a two-out walk, and then bobbled a play to allow Ben Carlson to reach first. A Jason Smit walk gave Holmberg cause to consider pulling Beck for Brian Justice, who was warming up in the bullpen, but in the next at-bat, Kyle Smith hit into a fielder's choice, which third baseman Brad Glen tossed back to Schimpf for the win.

“It got a little squirrelly there in the ninth inning,” Holmberg said. “We had two outs and all of a sudden, the bases were loaded. We had him on a short leash then, he was going to face the last batter, but we got out of it.”

With the win, Auburn (16-25) is now eight games behind the Scrappers in the Pinckney Division and will meet them again in Mahoning Valley Sunday. Next up for the Doubledays is a two-game road trip to State College, who just swept the Doubledays at home earlier this week.