Ty Summerlin tried his best to corral the hard-hit ball by Jairo Martinez. While using his body to try and block the ball from entering right field Summerlin committed the first of three Spikes errors in a costly fifth inning.
Summerlin's fielding error let the first batter reach base and set up the mistake-plagued fifth inning that allowed the Muckdogs to earn their first lead of the game.
The Spikes (17-20) were unable to extend their three-game winning streak as they gave up an early lead and fell to the visiting Mahoning Valley Scrappers 4-3. The Spikes jumped out on the Scrappers first but only held the lead for the first four innings of the game.
After starter Phil Dumatrait (0-1) gave up a solo homerun to first baseman Xavier Scruggs in the second inning, the Scrappers (19-18) were able to take advantage of the Spikes' miscues.
With Dumatrait still in the game in his fifth and final inning, Summerlin's error opened the flood gates for the Spikes. With Martinez on first base, Spikes' third baseman Andy Vasquez committed a team-high ninth fielding error when he tried to backhand a ball down the third base line.
The bobble by Vasquez allowed the second consecutive batter to reach base on an error and put the Scrappers in a position to advance their runners with a sacrifice bunt. They didn't waste much time scoring as Ryan Jackson followed up with a sacrifice fly that fell into the glove of a sliding Pat Irvine. The left fielder made a nice play on the ball but was unable to make the throw to home plate.
Robinson said games like this happen to clubs throughout the season, and despite their lack of defensive prowess Sunday, Robinson wants his players to remember that playing defense is one of their strengths.
Shortstop Brock Holt who had only committed one error coming into the game didn't have his best night in the field. After the Scrappers tied the game, the shortstop committed a costly throwing error. His low throw, which first baseman Aaron Baker couldn't pick out of the dirt, allowed Alan Ahmady to score from third base. Ahmady's run would become the eventual game winner.
The Spikes allowed two runs, despite not allowing a hit or issuing a walk during the inning. The Spikes only gave up six hits throughout the game but the four errors were what did them in.
"Mine was routine," Holt said of his error. "The one that was hit to Ty was hit pretty hard and he did his best to try and stay in front of it. I just babied the throw and it happens. I hate that it happened because mine was big, it gave up that fourth run but that's baseball."
