After a rough start to the season, the Muckdogs pitching staff is starting to find their groove as they pitched the Muckdogs to a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night.
The Muckdogs were home to face off against the Auburn Doubledays after taking 2-of-3 from the West Virginia Black Bears over the weekend.
Justin Jacome started for Batavia and threw three quality innings. He struck out four, walked one and only allowed one hit.
Nestor Bautista would come in relief of Jacome in the fourth. Bautista only allowed four hits over four and two-thirds innings pitched. He struck out three.
“Solid job, they pitched to contact and kept them of balance,” Manager Angel Espada said. “They used their stuff really well."
The Muckdogs would plate one run in each of the first three innings in route to their sixth win of the year.
Giovanny Alfonzo sparked the offense when he singled in the first and was able to get to second base after an overthrow to first base. Hot hitting Brad Haynal would single, scoring Alfonzo from second, making it 1-0.
Batavia would score again in the second when Eric Fisher would triple to lead off the inning.
Left-fielder Brandon Rawe would then single, scoring Fisher from third.
Haynal was once again involved in the action in third inning.
Stone Garrett worked a two-out walk and then stole second. Haynal would then single to score Garrett, making it 3-0 Muckdogs. Batavia would threaten with runners on first and third but Doubleday pitcher, Taylor Hearn was able to get Fisher to fly out to second.
“It’s starting to come around better as a whole team,” Haynal said. “It’s not just one guy doing it, we got everyone through the lineup moving guys.”
The Muckdogs were able to plate another run in the eighth to make the game 4-0.
Garrett would reach base on an error by the third baseman and be moved to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run with Dunbar.
Fisher then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Garrett.
“Our pitching got better, like we knew it was going to get better, and we are getting some timely hitting,” Espada said. “You put those things together and you should be coming on top."
Auburn was able to break up the shutout in the ninth inning when David Kerian crushed a Steve Farnworth pitch for a one-out single. He would then move to second on a wild pick-off attempt.
Matthew Page then doubled to score Kerian. Farnworth dug deep and ended the threat by striking out Jakson Reetz and Randy Encarnacion to end the game.
Unlike in the beginning of the season, the Muckdogs can count on hitters one through nine instead of just the guys at the top of the lineup.
“It’s hard when only a couple guys are pulling weight,” Haynal said. “Now I think everyone through the lineup is able to do some damage…a lot of people around baseball know hitting is contagious.”
Haynal finished the game 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs. Fisher was also 2-for-3 with a triple, a RBI and a scored run.
Bautista improved his record to 2-1 while Farnworth picked up his third save.
The Muckdogs travel to Auburn today but will be back home on Friday to take on the Doubledays in the series finale.
There will be fireworks following the conclusion of the game.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
