baseball

The Muckdogs won tonight 10-2 as Jamestown fell 2-1 to Williamsport...increasing Batavia's first place lead to 2.5 games!!  We had an astounding 8 doubles on the night in our second straight big win.

Full game re-cap and new league standings & leaders to come in the morning!

With a Batavia win and a Jamestown loss yesterday, the Muckdogs now sit in first place, 1 1/2 games above the Jammers.  The Muckdogs are also doing well individually.  Here's a look:

• In the NYPL, Arquimedes Nieto is in 2nd place for pitching, with a 1.76 ERA and 6-1 record.
• Adam Reifer remains tied for 1st in saves with 21 and leads in games with 30.
• Colt Sedbrook is 6th in batting (.311), 3rd in hits (79) and 3rd in on-base percentage (.399)
• Shane Peterson's 19 doubles put him in a three-way tie for 2nd place.  His .403 on-base percentage is 2nd in the league.
• Jose Garcia is 2nd in stolen bases with 24.
• Collectively, the team is 3rd in both hitting and pitching with a combined BA of .265 and ERA of 3.27.

The Muckdogs' (43-26) 13-0 win against the Spikes (16-53) was as lopsided in the stats as in the score.  State College had only three hits and five errors compared to Batavia's twelve hits and no errors, in a great game offensively and on the mound for the first place Muckdogs.

In the start, Scott Gorgen (4-2) earned himself the win in five innings with two hits, one walk and one strikeout.  Miguel Tapia followed him with one hit and four strikeouts through three innings, and LaCurtis Mayes pitched the 9th with two strikeouts to close-out the shutout.  The Spikes' Brian Leach (1-3) lasted three and a third innings with five hits, six runs (four earned) and three walks in the loss.

The Muckdogs wasted no time getting on-board, as they scored two in the 1st on a Colt Sedbrook single and Shane Peterson two-run homerun.  The biggest inning of the night came in the 4th as they scored four runs.  Bases were loaded early as Charlie Cutler walked, Xavier Scruggs doubled and Frederick Parejo also walked.  Cutler came in to score when Chris Swauger hit into a force out.  After Edwin Gomez walked, both Scruggs and Swauger came home on a fielding error.  Gomez scored the last run of the inning as he came home when Sedbrook hit into a force out.

Batavia scored once more in the 6th on singles by Gomez and Jermaine Curtis.  They scored three runs in the next inning, starting with two walks to Cutler and Scruggs.  Another error enabled Cutler to move to third to be in position to come home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Parejo.  Swauger then hit one deep to right for the Muckdogs' second two-run shot of the night.

As if 10-0 wasn't enough, Batavia tacked on three more runs in the 9th.  Parejo reached on an error and Gomez walked before Alex Castellanos came up with pinch-hit triple to get himself two RBI.  He then came home when Curtis hit a sacrifice fly.

Curtis ended the night 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.  Sedbrook got things swinging again, going 3-for-6 with a RBI and run scored.  The Spikes host the Muckdogs again tomorrow night before Batavia travels to Jamestown.   I'll bring the new NYPL standings first thing to you in the morning.

As of right now, Jamestown lost a 1-0 game to Williamsport and our Muckdogs are up 7-0 against the Spikes in State College...I'll have a full game re-cap later, as well as updated standings and statistics when all the NYPL games are completed!

Since this is the last week of the regular season, I'll have full game re-caps and standings/stats EVERY DAY! So, be sure to check back in and get out to Dwyer this Thursday, Friday and Saturday as we continue our quest for the NYPL title!

In the battle for first, the Muckdogs (42-26) overtook the lead as they beat rival Jamestown (42-27) by a score of 5-3.  Ramon Delgado (6-1) looked sharp once again in the start, getting the win in his five innings with three hits, one run and seven strikeouts.  Brad Hand (0-2) came out on the losing end for the Jammers, going four and two-thirds innings with six hits, three runs, three walks and five strikeouts.

Batavia started off the offense by scoring three runs in the 2nd inning.  Shane Peterson walked, Christian Rosa singled and Frederick Parejo was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Chris Swauger then came up with a two RBI single.  In the next at-bat, Edwin Gomez singled to score Parejo.  The Jammers got on the board in the top of the 3rd as Brandon Turner singled and Justin Bass had a RBI triple.

The score remained 3-1 until the Muckdogs added two insurance runs in the 8th.  Charlie Cutler, Parejo and Swauger started off the inning with consecutive base hits to score one.  Jermaine Curtis had a sacrifice fly to score Batavia's fifth and last run of the game.  Jamestown looked to make things interesting in the 9th as they scored two runs on a single and triple, but to no avail.

Curtis ended 2-for-2 with an RBI.  Parejo and Swauger both went 2-for-3; Parejo had two runs scored and Swauger had three RBI.  The Muckdogs now sit half a game up of the Jammers.  Batavia now heads to State College for two games, before traveling to Jamestown again on Wednesday.

Going into today's game vs. Jamestown, Batavia is a 1/2 game out of first in the Pinckney Division with a record of 41-26.  A win today would swap places with the Jammers again to put us back in first.  Here's where some of our top players are in the league:

• With his first loss of the season last night, Arquimedes Nieto dropped to 3rd in pitching with a 6-1 record and 1.76 ERA.
• Adam Reifer is tied for the lead in saves with 21 and is first in games with 29.
• Colt Sedbrook is 6th in batting with a .313 BA, tied for 3rd in hits with 76 and 2nd in on-base percentage at .404.
• Jose Garcia's 24 stolen bases on the season put him in 2nd place in the league.
• Shane Peterson has a .403 on-base percentage, the 3rd best.
• The Muckdogs as a team are 5th in pitching with a 3.35 ERA and 4th in hitting with a .263 combined BA.

On their 5 game road trip, the Muckdogs won two, lost two and were rained out once as they continue the fight for first place in the Pinckney Division with Jamestown, with whom they dropped a game to tonight.  Here's a quick look at these past 4 games:

• Tuesday, August 26:  Mahoning Valley 8, Batavia 7-  The Muckdogs had a 4-run rally in the 9th to battle back after 4 errors to tie the game 7-7, but they couldn't hold on for the victory.  Jason Buursma (1-3) suffered the loss in his 2/3 of an inning, letting in 1 run with 3 walks.  Edwin Gomez was the biggest power at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, a homerun, 3 runs scored and a RBI.
• Wednesday, August 27:  RAINOUT- Inclement weather cancelled the second game of the road trip.  There is no make-up for this game.
• Thursday, August 28:  Batavia 11, Williamsport 7-  The day off must have helped the Muckdogs, as they got back on the winning track.  Thomas Eager (5-3) got the win, throwing 4 innings with 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.  Adam Reifer picked up his 20th save in his 1/3 inning of work.  Charlie Cutler went 4-for-5 with a homerun, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.  Shane Peterson went 3-for-6 with a double.
• Friday, August 29: Batavia 4, Williamsport 2-  This time, the opposition suffered from errors, as Williamsport had 3 in the game to help Batavia get another win.  Hector Cardenas (5-0) kept his perfect record through 5 innings with 2 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.  Reifer (21) pitched 1 1/3 with a strikeout to get the save.  Batavia's 5 hits were scattered throughout the lineup;  Peterson had the sole extra-base hit, a double, on the night.
• Saturday, August 30: Jamestown 10, Batavia 2-  5 errors in the first game of the pivitol series of the year proved costly for the Muckdogs.  Arquimedes Nieto (6-1) lost his perfect record, as he got the loss in his 4 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.  Jose Garcia and Cutler had the only multi-hit nights; Garcia went 2-for-4 with 2 stolen bases and Cutler finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.

The Muckdogs had  a 1/2 game lead going into Jamestown, but now swapped places with the Jammers after the loss.  The official standings and stats have not been posted yet, but I will bring them to you in the morning (or shall I say later this morning since it's already 1:00)...

The series continues Sunday at Dwyer at 1:05.

Many people like Minor League Baseball because they can see players as they get their start in professional baseball and then continue to follow their progress as they try to make it up to the big leagues.  We have had several players moved up to be River Bandits in Quad Cities, Iowa.  Here is a look at how they have done so far:

• Lance Lynn, Pitcher:  Lynn had 2 starts as a River Bandit before being placed on the DL for his elbow.  In his two starts, he has a 2.25 ERA and a 0-1 record.  He threw a total of 8 innings with 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.
• Blake Murphy, Catcher:  One of Batavia's biggest power hitters, Murphy isn't doing as well at the next level.  He is batting just .196, with 11 hits in 56 at-bats.  He has 1 double, 1 homerun, 9 walks and 20 strikeouts through 19 games.
• Domnit Boliver, Third Base:  Bolivar was the primary shortstop while in Batavia, but has spent most of his time at third for the River Bandits.  He has an average of .254 with 16 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homeruns and 36 RBI.  He also has stolen 4 bases. (*note that these numbers are from his entire time in Quad Cities.  He started there in April, moved down to Batavia in early July, and moved back up in early August.  These stats include his time before and after playing in Batavia (87 games)).
• Jameson Maj, Pitcher:  In 4 games, Maj has a 0-2 record, 5.40 ERA and 1 save.  In 16 2/3 innings he has allowed 17 hits, 10 runs and 2 walks while striking out 15.  He has served equal time as a starter and a reliever, throwing 2 games as each.
• Jon Edwards, Outfield:  Edwards has a .250 average in 64 at-bats through 18 games, serving most of his time in right field.  He has 16 hits, including 3 doubles, 2 homeruns and 10 RBI.  He has performed best against lefties, batting a big .462 against them.

As the Muckdogs chase their first title since 1963 ( pre Muckdogs) We need noisy fans at Dwyer Stadium.4 home games left, Sun,Thurs,Fri,Sat Let's cheer our boys on as they go for the title. Of course, I'm biased but a championship would be great in 08

With the seven game win streak ending in a big 16-7 loss to Williamsport last night, and a Jamestown win over Auburn, the Muckdogs now sit in second place in the Pinckney Division, half a game behind the Jammers.  However, Batavia is represented very well in many statistical categories in the NYPL.  Here's a look:

• Arquimedes Nieto overtook 1st place again in pitching, with a 1.20 ERA and 6-0 record.
• Adam Reifer still leads in saves (19) and games (27).
• Colt Sedbrook is 4th in batting with a .324 average.  He also leads the league in hits with 73 and is 2nd in on-base percentage (.416)
• Jose Garcia's 20 stolen bases put him in 3rd place.
• Shane Peterson has a .395 on-base percentege which makes him 4th in the league.
• Overall, the team is 3rd in batting with a .264 combined average and 4th in pitching with a combined 3.22 ERA.

Tonight, the Muckdogs start a two-game series in Mahoning Valley...and I will be there! (It's only 45 minutes away from Kent State).  I'm excited to be able to watch the team live once more!  Hopefully, this road trip will be the start of our next lengthy win streak!

The Crosscutters (32-30) scored sixteen runs to Batavia's (39-24) seven to put an end to the Muckdogs' seven game win streak.  Adam Veres (0-1) had a shaky start that gave him the loss.  He lasted two innings with six hits, six runs, two walks and four strikeouts.  For Williamsport, Justin De Fratus (5-4) picked up the win in five and a third innings with seven hits, four runs, four walks and nine strikeouts.

Williamsport got the lead right off the bat in the 1st on two singles and a double.  Batavia answered with one run in the bottom of the inning when Jose Garcia reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and came home when Colt Sedbrook hit a double down the middle.  However, the Crosscutters added twelve runs in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th innings to make the game unreachable.

Batavia wasn't quite finished, though, as they had a three-run 6th inning when Charlie Cutler and Jairo Martinez had back-to-back singles and Chris Swauger tripled to drive them in.  Swauger then came in to score on a Brett Lilley single.  They also had a three-run 8th inning.  Swauger, Garcia and Sedbrook all singled and Shane Peterson had a two-run double, giving the Muckdogs seven total runs, but it was not enough as the Crosscutters plated sixteen on the night.

Swauger went 3-for-5 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored.  Peterson was also 3-for-5 with two RBI.  Sedbrook continued to raise his average, going 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored.  Batavia looks to get back on the winning track Tuesday as they travel to Mahoning Valley for two games with the Scrappers.

A four-run 8th inning for the Muckdogs (39-23) was enough to get the 4-3 win against Williamsport (31-30).  Arquimedes Nieto (6-0) picked up the win, pitching the 6th, 7th and 8th with one strikeout.  Adam Reifer (19) earned himself the save in the 9th with two hits, one run and two strikeouts.  Jesse Oster (1-1) blew the save and got the loss throwing one inning with two hits, four runs and two walks for the opposition.

The Crosscutters started their early lead in the 3rd, scoring one run when Brandon  Haislet singled, Bryan Frew walked and Steve Susdorf came up with a RBI single.  They added another in the 5th after Haislet was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Later in the inning, Haislet came around to score on a Susdorf sacrifice fly.

However, Batavia came through in the 8th to score enough for the win.  Jose Garcia got on base with a walk and advanced on a wild pitch.  Colt Sedbrook came up and singled to send Garcia home.  After Osvaldo Morales also was walked, Xavier Scruggs drove one over the fence in right field to bring three runs home.

Williamsport threatened in the 9th by scoring one run on a Troy Hanzawa double and Tim Binkoski single, but Reifer struck out the next two he faced to finalize the win.

Sedbrook had a big game, having three of the team's five hits in four at bats, including a double, RBI and a run scored.  Scruggs was clutch in his 1-for-3 day with a homerun and desicive three RBI.  The Muckdogs look to sweep Williamsport and increase their streak tomorrow night at home.

Batavia's (38-23) four errors looked to be costly, but the Muckdogs took the game into extra innings to get the 4-3 over the Williamsport Crosscutters (31-29).  Josh Hester started the game positively, going five innings with four hits, one run (unearned) and three strikeouts.  LaCurtis Mayes (4-0) threw the 11th and 12th innings for the win.  He walked one while striking out three.  Williamsport's Michael Schwimmer (0-2) got the loss in two and a third innings with two hits, one run, one walk and three strikeouts.

The Crosscutters led 1-0 after the 4th when D'Arby Myers reached on a throwing error and came around to score on a Steve Susdorf double.  The Muckdogs took over the lead by scoring three in the 7th.  Colt Sedbrook singled and Shane Peterson reached on catcher's interference.  They then both advanced on a balk before Xavier Scruggs came up with a double to score them both.  Charlie Cutler followed with a single to move Scruggs to third.  A wild pitch then allowed him to score.

However, Williamsport came back in the next inning to even things up.  Arlon Quiroz and Myers both singled, then Susdorf had a RBI double.  The other run came on a sacrifice fly that scored Myers.  The game remained at a 3-3 standstill until the bottom of the 12th inning.  Edwin Gomez started off the inning with a single.  After Frederick Parejo was intentionally walk, Sedbrook singled through the right side to let Gomez come in to score to win the game.

Sedbrook and Gomez both finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.  Xavier Scruggs went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI and a run scored.  The two teams meet again today at 1:00.

With our 5th win in a row tonight, we hold on to our first place standing in the Pinckney Division.  Jamestown was able to pull out a win in extra innings to remain just a half game back.  Here's a look at where we stand in other areas of the NYPL:

• Batavia is 3rd in batting and pitching with a combined .264 BA and 3.08 ERA.
• Arquimedes Nieto is now 2nd in pitching with a 1.28 ERA and perfect 5-0 record.
• Adam Reifer still dominates in saves and games at 18 and 25, respectively.
• Colt Sedbrook is 8th in batting with a .310 ERA.  He is also 3rd in on-base percentage at .403 and tied for 3rd in triples with 5.
• Shane Peterson is 5th in on-base percentage (.388).
• Jose Garcia's 19 stolen bases makes him tied for 3rd.

Make sure you get to the ballpark this weekend for some great promotions!  Tomorrow (Saturday) the first 500 fans will receive a Chase Utley bobblehead.  Sunday, the ZOOperstars will be in town for some added entertainment at the game, and as always, kids can run the bases after the game.

The Muckdogs (37-23) excelled on both sides of the plate to take down Mahoning Valley (26-35) by a score of 10-1.  Thomas Eager (4-3) started and earned the win in five innings with two htis, one run, four walks and five strikeouts (including four straight).  George Brown (3) picked up the save in the 9th, allowing one hit and one walk with one strikeout.  On the losing end, Mark Rodrigues (0-2) went two-thirds innings with three hits and four runs.

Batavia had one of their biggest innings of the season, scoring eight runs in the 3rd inning to put the game out of reach.  It all started when Chris Swauger and Edwin Gomez plated back-to-back singles.  Jose Garcia then had a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners one base.  When Frederick Parejo was up next, he reached and the two runners scored on a fielder's choice; Parejo then moved to second on a throwing error.  Colt Sedbrook singled in the next at-bat to score Parejo.

Shane Peterson then reached on another fielder's choice, Osvaldo Morales was hit by a pitch and Charlie Cutler singled to load the bases.  Alex Castellanos then came up with a two RBI single.  After Swauger walked to load the bases again, Gomez had his second hit of the inning, a three-run double.  The Muckdogs scored the eight runs on six hits and an error and had thirteen come up to the plate during the inning.

Mahoning Valley's only run came in the 5th inning as singles by Brock Simpson and Jeremie Tice put two on.  Simpson scored the only run when he came home on a double play ball.  On the night, Swauger was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored.  Castellanos went 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and two runs scored.  They finish out the weekend with a three-game series against Williamsport at home.

*At the completion of all tonight's NYPL games, I'll have an update on our standings!*

Two new faces have been added to the Muckdogs roster. Here's a look at our new players:

• Ismael Cardona, Catcher: Cardona comes up from the GCL Cardinals where he was batting .222 with 7 RBI.  Orignally from La Sabana, Venezuela, Cardona will add some depth in catching.
• Osvaldo Morales, First Base: In Johnson City, Morales was batting .250 with 12 homeruns and 28 RBI.  In his first start as a Muckdog last night, he went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Also, I know I'm a little late with the reminder but, don't foget there are player appearances today at Denny's from 11:30-12:30 and at Oliver's Candies 12-1! Be sure to stop out, chat them up and get to know some Muckdogs...and then of course get out to a game to cheer them on! We are home all this weekend and this Monday with all games starting at 7:05, except for a 1:05 start on Sunday.

Behind a solid starting pitching effort by Scott Gorgen (3-2), the Muckdogs (36-23) remain in 1st place in the Pinckney Division after a 4-2 win over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (26-34).  Gorgen threw five innings with five hits, one walk and seven strikeouts.  Russell Young (4-3) suffered the loss in his six innings with five hits, three runs (one earned), one walk and 2 strikeouts.

In the 2nd inning, Batavia started things off by scoring two runs on three hits.  Chris Swauger singled and Alex Castellonas doubled to get on base and Edwin Gomez came up with a double to drive them both in.  They added another run in the 4th when newcomer Osvaldo Morales doubled and Swauger singled.  The Muckdogs's 4th and final run of the night came in the 8th inning.  Jose Garcia bunt-singled, stole second and then advanced to third on a throwing error.  With Frederick Parejo at the plate, the Scrappers had a fielding error which allowed Garcia to come in to score.

Mahoning Valley threatened in the 9th, scoring two runs in the inning on a walk and two doubles, but it was not enough.  Jason Buursma came into relieve Miguel Tapia in the 9th to earn himself his third save.  In an inning of work, he let up only one hit while striking out two.

Castellonas finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.  Swauger also went 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored.  The teams face each other again tonight in Batavia at 7:05.

Here's a look at where our Muckdog leaders are in the NYPL:

• Arquimedes Nieto remains the league's pitching leader with a 5-0 record and 1.28 ERA.
• Adam Reifer also still leads in saves with 18 and in games with 25.
• Colt Sedbrook is 8th in batting with a .312 BA.  He also is 2nd in on-base percentage (.406) and tied for 4th in triples (5).
• Jose Garcia is 4th in stolen bases with 18.
• As a team, the Muckdogs are 3rd in both hitting and pitching.  They have a combined batting average of .263 and a combined ERA of 3.13.

*In closing, Sunday was my last game here in Batavia. I am returning to school at Kent State University to begin my senior year as a broadcast journalism major.  It was great getting to know those of you who I had a chance to meet at games and getting feedback from you!  I will still be posting frequently for the Muckdogs with game reviews, information on players being moved up or down, community events, and so-forth.  So keep checking in! And get out to Dwyer Stadium as we continue our great run for the playoffs!

The Muckdogs (35-23) took down the Doubledays (31-27) by a score of 5-3 to complete the sweep this weekend.  Ramon Delgado (5-1) had a strong start for the win, going five innings with two hits and four strikeouts.  Adam Reifer (18) came in to pitch the 9th and got the save.  He let up one hit, one run and one walk while striking out one.  Auburn's Joel Carreno (5-4) suffered the loss in his five innings with seven hits, five runs, two walks and two strikeouts.

Batavia started their offense in the 1st, scoring once in the inning on a Brett Lilley walk, Colt Sedbrook double and a sacrifice fly by Christian Rosa.  They added two in the 2nd when Frederick Parejo double and came around home on a throwing error.  Jairo Martinez then doubled and Jose Garcia singled to drive him in.  In the 4th, Alex Castellanos doubled and Martinez singled to make it 4-0.  The Muckdogs last run came on a Chris Swauger homerun in the next inning.

The Doubledays threatened in the 7th as they scored two runs, the first on a solo-homerun by Adam Amar and the second on a Joel Collins double and Karim Turkamani single.  Collins also had a homerun in the 9th, but Batavia held on for the win.

Martinez finished 2-for-3 with a double, run and RBI.  The Muckdogs now send seven players to the All-Star game this week before returning to league action at home versus Mahoning Valley on the 21st.

 Batavia (33-23) looked sharp defensively as they beat Auburn (31-25) 5-1 to gain another game on the Doubledays.  Hector Cardenas (4-0) remained perfect in the win, going five innings with two hits, one run (unearned), two walks and three strikeouts.  Matthew Wright suffered the loss in his four and a third innings, giving up five hits, two runs, two walks and striking out two.

The Muckdogs jumped on board first in the 2nd as Charlie Cutler scored the first run after he walked and scored on a Frederick Parejo double.  The Doubledays came back to tie it up in the top of the 3rd.  Luis Rivera scored the only Auburn run of the night when he singled, moved around the bases on two sacrifice bunts and scored on a fielding error.

However, the Muckdogs came out with offensive power to get the win.  In the 5th they got the lead back after Jose Garcia doubled and then came home when Colt Sedbrook grounded out.  They plated another in the 7th on three singles by Edwin Gomez, Brett Lilley and Sedbrook.  Batavia's big inning came in the 8th as they added two insurance runs on back-to-back round-trippers off the bats of Xavier Scruggs and Cutler.

Sedbrook ended the night 3-for-4 with an RBI and Gomez went 2-for-4 with a run scored.  The Muckdogs travel to Auburn tomorrow to try to gain yet another game on the Doubledays.