Muckdogs Drop Series Opener to Spikes 7-4, Despite Solid Start from Guerrero
July 8, 2018 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Batavia Muckdogs News Release
BATAVIA, NY- The Muckdogs dropped the first game of the series against State College on Saturday night by a 7-4 final score. Alberto Guerrero had an impressive start on the mound, tying his season high in innings pitched, and set a new single-game high with seven strikeouts in the six innings that he pitched. Guerrero only allowed two runs to cross the plate while he was in the game, and only one of the runs was earned. He did surrender one home run that put the Spikes in front 2-0 after the fourth.
The Muckdogs would bring an answer in the bottom of the fifth. They dropped a four spot on the Spikes to take the lead. Brayan Hernandez would draw a walk to get things going with two outs. Demetrius Sims then got hit by a pitch to continue the rally. Then Albert Guaimaro picked up the pace a little bit with an single that would result in a throwing error to put runners in scoring position with two outs. State College elected to walk Sean Reynolds to load the bases and get out of the inning. In the previous homestand, both times a Batavia batter was intentionally walked, it ended in a walk-off. This time, the Muckdogs capitalized again. Karas grounded a ball to the shortstop Imeldo Diaz, who threw the ball away in trying to get the force out at second. Michael Donadio then followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2 after the inning had ended.
Batavia slipped in the seventh inning when Karl Craigie came on in relief of Guerrero. He gave up two singles to lead off the inning, and then hit a batter trying to square to bunt to load the bases with two outs. It was called a foul ball initially, but then after the umpires convened, it was deemed a hit by pitch. Then another walk scored the first of what would be four runs in the inning. Then a ball that had skipped on Jarvis pushed one more run across the plate and would lead to a pitching change.
Jameson McGrane came on in relief, still with no outs. He struck out his first batter, but then walked another run in. A sac fly to left field would score one more before McGrane got another strikeout to end the inning.
Only one more run scored in the game, and it came from the bat of Justin Toerner. He crushed a ball over the right field wall, giving the Spikes a 7-4 lead in the ninth. That would be the final in the ballgame. There are two more games to be played in the series, the first coming Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
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