Scrappers fall in 14 innings

Staff report

WILLIAMSPORT, PA.

Will Krasne pitched himself into a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the bottom of the 14th inning.

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitcher nearly pitched himself out of it.

But with two outs and the bases loaded, Krasne walked Williamsport Crosscutters batter Brock Stassi to force in the winning run, and giving the Crosscutters an important, 4-3 win in the New York-Penn League on Monday night.

Williamsport improved to 40-30 and into a virtual tie with Brooklyn for the wild-card lead.

The Scrappers fell to 37-32 and 21/2 games out of the wild-card race.

Mahoning Valley managed only five hits in the extra-inning game and committed three errors, the last of which helped load the bases for the Crosscutters in the 14th.

But KC Serna tied the game with a leadoff home run, his first of the season, in the top of the ninth inning to force extra frames.

Amazingly, the Scrappers struck out 17 times against Williamsport pitching, and they managed just four singles in addition to Serna’s home run.

Peter Lavin hit three singles, Maikel Franco added a triple and Kyrell Hudson doubled for the Crosscutters.

Rob Nixon started for the Scrappers, allowing two earned runs and seven hits in his five innings of work.