NILES — For a second straight night, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers pulled out to an early lead against the hottest team in the MLB Draft League.

This time, however, the Scrappers couldn’t maintain their lead, and ultimately fell to the Trenton Thunder 13-6 in front of 1,532 fans at 7 17 Credit Union Field.

The Scrappers (11-15) scored the game’s first run in the bottom of the second inning. Jimmy Keenan, playing in just his sixth game, belted his second home run of the season. This one was a towering 432-foot shot over the left-centerfield wall.

Keenan, a catcher out of Wake Forest, also was a force behind the plate. He gunned down three would-be base stealers.

Trenton (18-7) immediately answered with a run of its own in the top of the third inning. Scrappers starter David Lally (University of Michigan) issued four walks in the inning, including a bases loaded free pass that plated a run.

Lally worked four innings, giving up just the one run on three hits. He owns a 1.80 ERA in 20 innings of work.

Back-to-back doubles by Bryce Hubbard and Tristan Strickland to lead off the bottom of the fourth gave the Scrappers a 2-1 lead. Strickland came around to score on an Edison Polanco sacrifice fly, extending the Scrappers’ lead to 3-1.

However the Thunder rudely greeted Scrappers reliever Mason Schmidt in the fifth. A walk and a single set the table for Augie Lopez, who doubled in both base runners to tie the game at 3-3. Two more walks and a hit batter gave Trenton its first lead of the game at 4-3. Schmidt exited the game with the bases loaded and one out. Danny Heintz pitched the Scrappers out of further damage in the inning by inducing a pair of popouts.

Trenton extended its lead to 5-3 in the seventh. Jordan Thomas walked to lead off the inning. He advanced to second on a groundout, stole third and scored on a throwing error.

The Scrappers took advantage of a pair of Trenton errors to score a pair of runs and tie the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh.

Trenton took a 7-5 lead in the eighth without the benefit of a base hit. A pair of walks and an error loaded the bases and allowed the Thunder to score a run on a double play. A second error scored the inning’s second run.

The Thunder busted the game wide open with a six-run ninth, highlighted by a Jake Koonin grand slam home run.

Scrappers pitchers combined to issue 15 walks, and the defense committed five errors.

The Scrappers begin a two-game road series tonight at West Virginia. The two teams will then play a weekend series (Saturday and Sunday) at 7 17 Credit Union Field. Saturday’s Independence Day game will feature a post-game fireworks show.

WHITMAN SHOWCASING TALENT

There was no way Mahoning Valley Scrappers infielder James Whitman was going to pass up his chance to play in the MLB Draft League.

The way Whitman sees it, the Draft League is a showcase league, and he is out to show himself and the scouts that the best is yet to come.

“Everyone in this league believes they deserve to be here, and they believe they can achieve their ultimate goal of becoming a pro player,” Whitman said. “That’s why we’re here. I mean, you just have to believe in yourself and see where it takes you.

“Personally, I’m confident that my best baseball is still ahead of me. Now it’s just a matter of going out there every day, working hard and proving it to yourself and to others.”

Whitman, a San Diego native who recently completed his senior season at Biola University (CA), certainly has every reason to believe the best is yet to come. He majored in Public Health while at Biola.

Whitman’s progression during his four years at Biola went from what he described as “a very mediocre freshman season” to an MVP senior campaign.

As a freshman, Whitman batted .258 with four home runs and 17 RBIs. Those numbers grew each year. Whitman batted .326 as a sophomore, then a year later he hit .345. Yet even those numbers paled in comparison to the record-breaking season he enjoyed this past spring.

Whitman recently completed his senior season at Biola with a .439 batting average. He totaled 69 hits, 58 RBIs and 64 runs scored, while launching 19 home runs. He added 14 doubles, three triples, 41 walks and 24 hit-by-pitches. Whitman also stole nine bases in nine attempts.

He led the PacWest Conference in six offensive categories and was ranked among the nation’s top hitters throughout the season. He set numerous single-season and career school records, and was named the PacWest Conference Player of the Year and earned Division II All-American honors.

“I had an up and down college career, but I wouldn’t have changed it for anything in the world,” Whitman said. “I had great teammates and great coaches who made the journey worth the world to me.”

A catcher until his junior year of high school, Whitman then moved to first base, a position where he says he “felt at home.” However, during his first two years at Biola, he was moved to the outfield before relocating to the infield at the start of his junior season.

“Honestly, playing the outfield for the first time as a college player wasn’t the ideal situation for me,” Whitman said. “Being out there in left or right field, I felt like I was on a different planet. When I got moved back to first base, I felt like I was back where I belonged. And having that comfort zone on defense also helped my confidence and concentration offensively.

“Then the summer heading into my senior season, I made a slight adjustment with my batting technique and I felt like that helped push me to a new level.”

Whitman is also quick to credit a longtime coach and mentor, Nick Guerra, who he says has been a positive influence since he was nine years old.

“He has always believed in me, he has always helped me and he taught me to believe in myself. He’s the reason I’m on this field today,” Whitman said.

Though Whitman is roughly 2,400 miles from home, he is finding a way to bring home to the Mahoning Valley during his summer in Niles. His fiance Kori, who he will marry on Oct. 23, attended the Scrappers’ first homestand of the season. His father was in town for the following six home games. That was followed by a visit from his mom and brother.

“It’s great to have a support staff like that, they mean the world to me,” Whitman said.