NILES — A thunderous post-game fireworks show followed Friday’s game between Mahoning Valley and Trenton.

The game itself featured a win for the Thunder.

Trenton overcame an early 2-0 deficit, then hung on for a 4-3 win in front of 4,072 fans at Eastwood Field.

The Scrappers took a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Braylin Marine doubled with one out, setting the table for Mason Sykes. The league’s RBI leader (30) then responded with a single that scored Marine.

Sykes, who also leads the Scrappers with three home runs, then scored his team-best 23rd run on an Owen Young double.

The Thunder immediately responded with a two-run second inning on a Craig Corliss two-RBI double.

Trenton took its first lead of the game in the fourth on a Dan Covino home run, then built a 4-2 advantage in the fifth on an Anthony Fontana double which scored a run.

Meanwhile, Trenton starter Luke Retting settled down nicely after Sykes’ first-inning double. He retired 16 of the final 18 men he faced. He worked six innings, giving up two hits while recording eight strikeouts.

Trenton lifts its league-leading overall record to 25-12 (6-5) while the Scrappers fall to 14-23 (3-7. The two teams return to Eastwood Field tonight at 7:05.

BACK FOR MOORE

Scrappers outfielder Travis Moore Jr. has spent the past two months barnstorming the United States for the sake of baseball.

Moore began the season with the Scrappers. He was on the opening day roster and played in several early games before moving over to the Appalachian League. For three weeks in mid-to-late June he played for the Elizabethton (TN) River Riders. In early July he flew home to Arizona “to say hello to the family and grab a change of clothes.” Then when the MLB Draft League resumed its season on July 7, Moore was back in a Scrappers uniform.

Moore recently earned a degree in business management at Park University (AZ), where this past spring he batted .308 and was regarded as one of the top defensive players in the NAIA.

Moore still had one year of college athletic eligibility, but opted to return to the Scrappers for the remainder of the summer in pursuit of a professional career.

“I went into the Appy League just because I knew I would get more playing time and more at-bats because of the way the early rosters were set up,” Moore said. “Coming back here for the second half of the season meant giving up my (college) eligibility, so I’m all in.

“This league has provided some great exposure for a lot of players who ended up getting drafted or signing free agent deals. I hope to be one of those players.”

Moore is no stranger to the rigors of professional sports. His father, Travis Moore Sr. played 13 seasons in the Canadian Football League, winning a pair of Grey Cups. He also experienced two Grey Cup victories as a coach, and he currently serves as an assistant coach at Ottawa.

Moore Sr. finished his career with nearly 10,000 receiving yards.

Moore also has an uncle who played with the New Orleans Saints.

“It’s been such a blessing, because I’ve seen what it takes to achieve success in sports at the professional level, and I’ve been guided by some great role models,” Moore said. “I’ve never felt like I had pressure to live up to the family name when it comes to sports. I’ve always looked at it as a very positive bonus in my life.”

Moore’s flexibility in handling two stints with the Scrappers sandwiched around a trip through the Appalachian League and a quick stop in Arizona should come as no surprise, considering his ability to adapt to all environments. Moore says he is just as comfortable on the beach as he is in the middle of a Canadian winter.

Because of his dad’s association with the CFL, Moore says he spent the first eight years of his life traveling back and forth from Arizona to Canada. He still frequently visits the country.

“I love winter sports, I really enjoy hockey and snowboarding,” Moore said.

For now, Moore is hopeful that his summer with the Scrappers leads to many more summers of baseball.

“I’ve seen a lot of players in this league get drafted or signed over the past couple of weeks, and it gives me hope that I can be next,” Moore said.