Closing in on Scrapple time
The whimsical idea approaches its seventh rendition.
Because it’s minor league baseball and the product on the field is sometimes more of a work in progress than other times, those who run minor league teams have had to be creative in their promotions. In the mid-teens, we started seeing this idea of teams adopting more than just a special uniform: they take an alternative locally sourced identity for a night. Our team decided its alternative would be a different food product, so the team founded by chicken magnate Frank Perdue was going to salute the other white meat - well, sort of.
The Delmarva Scrapple came into being in 2018 and played as part of an homage to our local delicacy that included additional menu items as well as a scrapple eating contest and carving competition. It’s a promotion that was so popular that it’s become tradition for the Shorebirds to adopt their red, white, and blue alternative identity for a night each season - although this year will be the first July game, as all the other games have been played in August.
I thought it would be interesting to take a look back down memory lane at some of those who have made Scrapple Night great. In six previous contests, the team is 4-2, making us wish they played that way every night. Let’s start out with year number one.
August 18, 2018: SCRAPPLE 4, Rome 2
A near-capacity gathering of 5,186 fans came out on this first Scrapple Night to watch their Scrapple take on the Rome Braves, who themselves were making a rare visit to Arthur W. Perdue Stadium for a South Atlantic League contest that also featured the usual Saturday night fireworks.
After a scoreless 3 1/2 inning duel between Rome starter Freddy Tarnok and Scrapple pitcher Jhon Peluffo, the Scrapple broke through against Tarnok in the 4th as a throwing error by Rome center fielder Justin Dean allowed JC Encarnacion, who had previously singled, to cross the plate after Cadyn Grenier had singled. Advancing himself to third on the error, Grenier made it 2-0 on a Jean Carrillo base hit.
Loading the bases against a tiring Peluffo in the seventh inning, Rome tied the game thanks to a bases-loaded walk by reliever Max Knutson and a fielder’s choice groundout that Rome batter Derian Cruz beat out, denying the Scrapple an inning-ending double play.
That tie would be dissolved in the bottom of the eighth on another Grenier-Carrillo combo: Grenier tripled to bring home Trevor Craport, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, then Carrillo singled with his second RBI hit of the night. The Scrapple catcher had three hits on the night, leading the offense.
Diogenes Almengo tossed a 1-2-3 ninth inning to get the first Scrapple save, preserving the 4-2 win. Knutson was awarded the win despite blowing the save, while the loss went to Rome’s Kelvin Rodriguez for allowing the eighth-inning rally.
August 30, 2019: Kannapolis 4, SCRAPPLE 3
Opening the final four-game homestand of the season on this August Friday night, this game started out just like the 2018 version as a 3 1/2 inning duel between Kannapolis starter Davis Martin and Scrapple pitcher Ryan Wilson.
The Scrapple collected all of their scoring offense off Martin in the 4th. Orioles 1-1 pick Adley Rutschman opened the inning with a single, moving to second on a Martin wild pitch and scoring from there on a base hit by Johnny Rizer. One out later, Rizer would come home on a triple by Shayne Fontana, who in turn came home when Ryne Ogren singled.
But a two-out grand slam by Cameron Simmons of the Intimidators in the sixth inning wiped out the Scrapple lead, and after loading the bases again Wilson was replaced by Juan Echevarria, who got that elusive last out without allowing further damage.
The Scrapple got runners to scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Kannapolis pitching retired the last eight Scrapple batters in a row to secure the 4-3 win, disappointing the 4,011 in attendance. Both starters figured into the decision, with Austin Conway of Kannapolis earning the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Just a few games later the Shorebirds would play their final games in the South Atlantic League.
August 5, 2021: Down East 12, SCRAPPLE 1
After the cancellation of the 2020 season, Scrapple Night was back with the team for 2021.
Trying a Thirsty Thursday Scrapple Night, things started out well for the Scrapple for the first four frames but the roof caved in beginning in the fifth as the Wood Ducks brought four across on reliever Adam Stauffer, who had spelled starter Noah Denoyer after his three shutout frames.
The lone burst of Scrapple scoring came in the bottom of the fifth, as a one-out double by Christopher Cespedes was cashed in with a Trevor Kehe single. After that it was all Wood Ducks as they pounded local kid (Colonel Richardson H.S.) Jake Zebron for five runs in the fifth and added three more in the late innings off Leonardo Rodriguez and Rickey Ramirez in an all-around bad night for the bullpen.
The unearned run off Down East starter Florencio Serrano was the only blemish in his five innings as he picked up the win, while Stauffer took the loss in front of 2,234 fans.
August 12, 2022: SCRAPPLE 2, Carolina 0
On this Friday night, the Scrapple used pitching to end a two-game losing streak with the moniker.
While starter Juan De Los Santos was sensational in his four-inning start - allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out four - reliever Yaqui Rivera was even better, retiring all 15 Mudcats he faced to earn the win, fanning six. Good thing - Isaac De Leon doubled and scored on a subsequent passed ball and throwing error by Carolina catcher Alex Hall in the second inning to make it 1-0, while Elio Prado’s base hit scored Frederick Bencosme after his fourth-inning double for the second run. With only three scattered hits the rest of the way the contest came in at a crackling 1:53.
Alex Vallecillo was the hard-luck Carolina loser, but the shutout sent 3,674 fans home happy (and hopefully not hungry because they had to eat fast.)
August 19, 2023: SCRAPPLE 10, Salem 2
Returning to a Saturday night fireworks show, the 5,101 in attendance saw the Scapple put up offensive fireworks to pull away late.
After Natanael Yuten singled and advanced on a throwing error by Anderson De Los Santos, Albertson Asigen brought in the game’s first run, giving the Red Sox a 1-0 second inning lead. But Salem reliever Noah Dean allowed the Scrapple to score a pair in the fourth inning by loading the bases with two walks and a hit-by-pitch, then uncorking consecutive wild pitches to score both De Los Santos and Angel Tejada. A third wild pitch by Dean the next inning scored Randy Florentino, who had walked to open the inning.
In the sixth inning, Dean’s sixth and final wild pitch of the night allowed Adam Crampton to score the Scrapple’s fourth run, with a bases-loaded walk to Matthew Etzel by new Salem pitcher Garrett Ramsey making it 5-1. In the seventh inning, Salem’s Claudio Simon doubled in Asigen, who had singled, to make it 5-2 but that’s as close as Salem would get. In the bottom of the eighth, a two-run single by Tavian Josenberger followed one out later by consecutive doubles by De Los Santos for two runs and Noelberth Romero’s double to chase De Los Santos home rounded out the scoring in this laugher.
Starter Luis De Leon threw four effective innings but the win went to Alfred Vega in relief, while the late rally allowed Angel Vargas to get the save. Unsurprisingly, Dean took the loss. Scrapple batters took nine walks but fanned eighteen times in the victory. 28 of 51 outs came from strikeouts.
August 17, 2024: SCRAPPLE 9, Carolina 3
The Mudcats became the first two-time opponent for the Scrapple and lost a 3-0 lead to fall on this error-filled Saturday night.
After a single by Reidy Mercado, double by Yophery Rodriguez, and errors on both plays by Scrapple right fielder Elis Cuevas, a sacrifice fly by Luis Castillo made it 3-0 Salem in the third off Scrapple hurler Keeler Morfe.
But the Scrapple began chipping away in the fourth on a Braylin Tavera single that scored Ethan Anderson and took advantage of a bases-loaded walk and two throwing errors - one after a wild pitch - on Carolina catcher David Garcia to snag a 5-3 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. A base hit by Austin Overn in the sixth, a seventh-inning ground out by Miguel Rodriguez, and singles in the eighth inning by Anderson and Rodriguez accounted for the other four runs as the Scrapple cruised.
Juan Rojas fired four scoreless innings in relief to get the win, while Harrison Durow took the loss for Carolina. 3,356 patrons took in the action, watching the Scrapple prevail despite five errors.
So how will the Scrapple fare against the Lynchburg Hillcats, who won the CL North first half? Come on Saturday and find out. I can tell you from experience the scrapple sandwiches are really good.
In the meantime, though, you can Buy Me a Coffee, since I have a page there now. You can also like and restack this piece so others can enjoy it.
You made it feel like you were there at the games. Tried scrapple a while ago and its tasty and different.
I have never ate that stuff and I didn’t know that’s where Perdue chicken came from.