Cutters fall on ninth-inning passed ball

BATAVIA, N.Y. - It wasn't the prettiest game you'll ever see, but the Batavia Muckdogs will take it.

Matt Carpenter scored on a passed ball with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Muckdogs a 6-5 victory over the Williamsport Crosscutters Monday.

Carpenter led off the inning with a single to right off Cutters reliever Justin Long (0-1) and Xavier Scruggs was hit by a pitch. Long got Ryde Rodriguez to hit what should have been a double-play grounder, but Williamsport shortstop Jeremy Barnes bobbled the ball. Barnes did manage to throw to second baseman Stephen Batts to get the force on Scruggs, but Carpenter got to third.

With the infield in and Niko Vasquez batting, Rodriguez took second on defensive indifference. Long's 1-1 pitch then went between the legs of catcher David Doss, allowing Carpenter to come home with the winning run.

The Crosscutters (2-2) sent eight men to the plate in the top of the third and scored four runs off Batavia starter Eric Fornataro, including a three-run triple by Micheal Dabbs.

The Crosscutters scored in the fourth as Jiwan James' RBI triple scored Doss.