Muckdogs sweep twin bill from Auburn

AUBURN – The Batavia Muckdogs had a long day of travel and baseball Friday, but showed why they are in first place in the Pinckney Division with a 4-3, 4-1 sweep of the Auburn Doubledays.

Batavia scored three runs in the top of the final inning to stun Auburn in the first game.

With Auburn leading 3-1, Michael Hernandez singled in Andrew Turner when Dalvt Rosario hit a two-RBI double scoring Milton Smith II and Ronal Reynoso.

Roasario hit two doubles in the game and stole a base while J.D. Orr went 2-for-4 with his 16th stolen base of the season.

Turner, Jack Strunc each had a hit while Hernandez, the Muckdogs catcher, went 2-for-3.

The pitching Eli Villalobos, a righty from Long Beach State and a 14th round draft pick of the parent Miami Marlins in 2018, went 5.2 innings with three strikeouts and did not get the decision. Jonaiker Villalobos, a lefty from Venezuela, faced two batters, retired one and for the win to go to 1-0 on the season.

Evan Brabrand, a 9th round pick of the Marlins this year, made it a perfect seven on saves as he threw one inning of perfect baseball with two strikeouts to get his seventh win of the season in seven attempts.

In the second game, Jackson Rose, a 35th round pick of the Marlins in 2018 out of Minnesota, continued his strong season on the mound for manager Tom Lawless.

Rose went six strong innings with five strikeouts and gave up just two hits and did not walk a batter. Josh Simpson, who was taken in the 32nd round this season, had a perfect inning in relief, striking out two for his first save of the season. In five games this season, Simpson, a Columbia grad, has a 0.00 ERA.

Batavia (21-13) scored two in the first and two in the final inning to put the game away.

Hitting was contagious as Reynoso had two hits, a stolen base and a run and Turner had two hits and a run. Catcher Andres Sthormes had two hits.

While Nic Ready blasted a double, Troy Johnston had a RBI single, Brayan Hernandex (run) and Milton Smith II (run) had hits.