Late comeback falls short for Doubledays

AUBURN, NY - With a walk-off win already in the bag this season against Mahoning Valley, the Doubledays tried some late-inning magic once again. This time, they didn't quite have enough.

The Scrappers scored three crucial runs in the top of the seventh inning, and a late surge in the bottom half of that inning couldn't get Auburn over the top. The Doubledays fell 4-2 in front of a season-high 1,952 fans on Thursday night at Falcon Park.

The Doubledays runs came early in the bottom of the seventh. David Masters doubled to the left-centerfield wall to break up a no-hit bid by the Scrappers, and Jose Marmolejos singled him in to get Auburn on the board. Raudy Read singled, and after an out and a wild pitch, Osvaldo Abreu hit a sac fly to the track in left-center to score Marmolejos from third.

Mahoning Valley got one in the first on the only hit allowed by Doubledays ace Reynaldo Lopez (1-2), a triple by top Indians prospect Francisco Mejia. He scored on a groundout by the following hitter, first baseman Leo Castillo. Lopez was brilliant again, allowing just the one hit and run to go with five strikeouts and no walks in six innings. Lopez has allowed just one hit over his last 11.2 IP.

The Scrappers tacked on three in the seventh on just two hits. Cody Gunter committed a key error at third to extend the inning, and Deion Williams walked two batters.

The Doubledays play a Fourth of July doubleheader against the Williamsport Crosscutters tomorrow afternoon. LHP Travis Ott goes in Game 1, while RHP James Bourque gets the nod in the nightcap. Coverage begins on 98.1 FM and 1590 AM WAUB at 11:50 with Doubledays Pregame, followed by first pitch at noon.