N.Y.-PENN LEAGUE Scrappers lose lead, fall back in standings

Mahoning Valley trails Williamsport by two games for the league's wild-card berth.
LOWELL, Mass. -- With a little more than two weeks remaining in the New York-Penn League regular season, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers' playoff hopes took another sharp hit Sunday.
The Scrappers failed to hold an early 2-1 lead in losing 9-4 to the Lowell Spinners. Four errors contributed to Lowell's nine-run outburst.
The loss cost the Scrappers a chance to make up a game on the Pinckney Division-leading Auburn. The Doubledays lost 6-2 to the Williamsport Crosscutters, the team the Scrappers are chasing for the league's wild-card berth.
Heading into today's action, Mahoning Valley (34-26) trails Auburn (38-22) by four games for the division crown and automatic playoff berth.
Williamsport (36-24) has a two-game advantage on the Scrappers for the league's wild-card berth.
After the Spinners jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning, the Scrappers posted their only lead of the game with a pair of runs in the second frame. Shaun Larkin's single drove in two runs.
The Scrappers' lead evaporated when the Spinners pounced for five runs in the fourth inning.
Losing pitcher Brian Slocum surrendered seven hits and five earned runs in the four innings he pitched.
SCRAPPERSLOWELL
abrhbiabrhbi
Francisco cf5010Stone cf5311
Osborn 3b4000Ramirez ss4130
Wright rf3011Concepcion 3b3001
Peavey 1b4011Ontiveros 1b4002
Haase c3100Boran lf4000
Baxter dh4110Bowman rf2210
Larkin 2b3012Brown dh4121
Simoneaux ss3100Aleman c4111
Conroy lf3100West 2b4122
Totals32454Totals349108
Scrappers0202020000--4
Lowell10050210x--9
E--Osborn, Wright, Ramirez, West. DP--Lowell 2. LOB--Scrappers 6, Lowell 8. 2B--Baxter (13), Ramirez (2), Bowman (13), Aleman (9). 3B--West (1). SB--Larkin (4), Ramirez (3), Concepcion (2), Ontiveros (2). SF--Ontiveros.
IPHRERBBSO
Scrappers
Slocum L,3-2476531
Hernandez333321
Culp100011
Lowell
Galvez434433
Wells W,3-1320011
MacLane200010
HBP--by Galvez (Wright). WP--Slocum, Hernandez. BK--Hernandez. PB--Haase. T--2:49. A--5,001.