After returning home from their six-game road trip, the Muckdogs (9-20) lost the opening game of the series and the team's fifth out of the last six games to the visiting Connecticut Tigers (13-16).
On a night where each team was only able to muster six hits apiece, walks and errors were again the downfall for the Muckdogs.
Jordan Holloway and Nestor Bautista combined to walk 10 batters.
“We have to realize we are not in the Major Leagues and there’s a reason why they are all here,” Manager Angel Espada said.
Holloway got the start on the mound and although he did walk six batters in his four innings of work, he pitched much better than his previous starts.
“The kid (Holloway) as you see has a big arm but at the end of the day he is a 19-year-old that needs to learn how to pitch,” Espada said.
The only two runs scored by the Tigers came in the fourth inning after Tanner Donnels reached on an error and Holloway then walked Pat Mackenzie to put two runners on with no outs.
Holloway would strike out Joey Havrilak, but run into trouble when Steven Fuentes tripled to center field, scoring both Donnels and Mackenzie.
Holloway’s night would be over after the fourth inning; he was replaced by Bautista.
Batavia's lone run came in the third inning when Anfernee Seymour singled and later scored on a Alexander Fernandez double.
“You just have to stay positive and trust the process,” Espada said. “You gotta keep working, there is no way around it.”
Matt Hall started on the hill for the Tigers and went a solid three innings before being relieved by Chase Edwards who only allowed two hits over his five innings of work.
The one bright spot for the Muckdogs, not only tonight, but the whole season is the play of Bautista. Coming into Tuesday’s game, he had a record of 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched.
On Tuesday he pitched five innings of shutout baseball. He scattered four hits and four walks while striking out five.
Gerson Moreno came in the ninth for the Tigers and worked a perfect ninth inning, picking up his second save of the year.
“Do you want to win games? Yes, you have to trust the process…what is better for these kids,” Espada said. “In five, four years you’ll see some of these kids in the Big Leagues and than you realize how good a job you did.”
The Muckdogs continue their three-game series against the Connecticut Tigers on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.
