Crosscutters finish sweep of Scrappers

Staff report

williamsport, pa.

The Williamsport Crosscutters rallied for two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Friday night to top the Mahoning Valley Scrappers 2-1 and complete a three-game sweep.

The Scrappers took the early lead in the top of the fifth inning. Jodd Carter started the inning with a strikeout, but a wild pitch on the strikeout allowed him to reach first. After a balk moved Carter to second, Logan Ice delivered with an RBI single to score Carter for the 1-0 lead. The Scrappers’ bullpen made the lead stand up until the bottom of the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth Lucas Williams and Darick Hall both walked to start the inning. Luis Encarnacion followed with a single off the wall in left field to score Williams with the tying run. With two outs and the go ahead run at third, Emmanuel Gamboa hit a ground ball to third. The throw to first was in the dirt for an error allowing the eventual winning to score for a 2-1 lead.

The Scrappers put the tying run on base in the top of the ninth inning when Carter singled with two outs. However, a foulout to left field ended the game.

The Scrappers dropped all three games in Williamsport (4-4) by a single run.

Juan Hillman (1-0) started for the Scrappers and worked five innings and allowed two hits. He did not allow a run. Hillman walked one and struck out four.

Randy Valladares followed with two innings of relief. He allowed four hits but no runs. He did not walk a batter and struck out four. Ryan Perez (0-2) worked one-third of an inning and took the loss. Leandro Linares got the final two outs of the eighth inning.

The Scrappers (1-7) open a homestand against Batavia tonight at 7:05.