The Batavia Muckdogs (22-29) came into Friday night’s rubber game matchup against the Lowell Spinners looking to avoid losing their first series since a July 20 series against Connecticut.
After nearly making a dramatic late-inning comeback in Thursday night’s game, Manager Angel Espada hoped the momentum would carry into Friday night’s game. Unfortunately for Batavia and the now rejuvenated fans, the bats would stay ice cold in route to a 3-0 loss to the Spinners.
“Basically we were flat overall tonight,” Espada said. “It’s just one of those things, we didn’t get much going with the bats.”
Jordan Holloway took the loss in the game but he pitched well enough to keep the Muckdogs within striking distance all night. Holloway only surrendered one run on four hits over six innings of work. He would struggle with his command by walking four.
Lowell scored the one run off Holloway in the fourth inning after a two-out walk to Kyri Washington, a double over Stone Garrett’s head in center by Mitch Gunsolus plated Washington for the Spinners' first run of the game, and really the only run they would need.
Spinners starting pitcher Austin Glorius, shut down the Muckdogs' hitters all night. The right-hander struck out eight Muckdog batters over five innings. He walked two but only allowed one hit.
Enfember Martinez finished up the game for Glorius and was equally as dominant. He struck out three and also only allowed one Muckdog hit.
“It’s hard to win a ball game when you get two hits, you’re not going to win many of those,” Espada said. “We just simply didn’t hit, it’s as simple as that.”
The Spinners added two insurance runs in the seventh inning off of reliever LJ Brewster. Tate Matheny led off the inning with a walk and was sacrificed to second by Jeremy Rivera.
Sean Coyle, who was on a rehab stint from Boston’s Triple-A team, singled to score Matheny. After a Andrew Benintendi walk, Victor Acosta grounded into what should have been been a double play, but the throw from Alex Fernandez to first base was off the mark, allowing Coyle to score and making it 3-0.
The Muckdogs were just unable to manufacture any offense. There was a period from the fifth inning to the ninth inning where both the Spinners' pitchers retired 12 straight Muckdogs and combine to get out 15 of the last 17 batters.
Batavia will have a quick turnaround as they travel to Auburn for a doubleheader on Saturday.
“You hope that their youthfulness is keeping them ready to come and hopefully show up and ready to play tomorrow,” Espada said.
With the loss, Batavia now sits six and a half games back of the wild card spot and will need to win a majority of their remaining games and hope for a lot of help from the rest of the league for any shot at the postseason.
“Of course we want to win a lot of games, but at the end of the day, my biggest job is to develop young players and young talent for the organization,” Espada said.
