S.I. Yankees Win Vintage Duel Versus Mahoning Valley Scrappers

From the desk of:  THE RICHMOND COUNTY RATS

Yankees sweep Mahoning Valley Scrappers

I - SIY 3; MHV 2

II - SIY 5; MHV 4

III - SIY 1; MHV 0

Staten Island Announces Arrival in Division Race With One-Hit Whitewashing and Three Game Sweep of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers

In the first inning Yankees starter Blakely Brown retires the Scrappers in order.  In the bottom half of the frame Staten Island second baseman Ezequiel Duran leads-off with a triple to right, and promptly scores on Josh Smith's RBI sac-fly to center.

With one out in the fifth Mahoning Valley second baseman Joab Gonzalez accounts for the Scrappers lone hit of the game against Yankees pitching.

Combined One-Hit Shutout

Blakely Brown yields no runs and the one aforementioned hit and four walks with six strikeouts through six innings.  He even unleashes a wild pitch, picks off a runner, and for good measure hits a batter as part of a rather full service effort.  Brown earns his second victory of the season against two losses with a 3.14 ERA.  He faces 22 batters throwing 83 pitches with 51 (61%) going for strikes.

Bryan Blanton pitches two scoreless innings of no-hit ball with an impressive five strikeouts in relief of Brown.  Barrett Loseke then closes out the ninth yielding no hits while fanning two for his first save.  Catcher Chase Illig accounts for the only other Staten Island hit of the evening.  Hard luck losing pitcher Carlos Vargas allows one run on two hits and just one walk with five strikeouts through seven innings pitched.

The Yankees are winners of three straight, and with Sunday's victory forge a third place tie with Brooklyn a mere 2.5 games back of first place.