Spinners trim Muckdogs in series finale

Contributed Story Posted 13 July 2019 at 7:51 am

Contributed Photo – Two Miami Marlins draft picks who are making an impact with the Batavia Muckdogs high-five after a diving catch by Milton Smith II, left, in centerfield head-first toward the fence to end the inning, and Troy Johnston, who belted a home run and doubled Friday before 1,301 fans in Batavia.

BATAVIA – After taking the first two games of the series against the Boston Red Sox from club Lowell Spinners, the Batavia Muckdogs were in position to take over the best overall record int he New York-Penn League.

However, the Spinners showed why they are in the top spot by scoring two big runs in the ninth inning to hold off the Muckdogs, 5-2 Friday night before 1,301 fans at Dwyer Stadium

Batavia (17-10) is still in first place in the NYPL Pinckney Division and goes on the road for three games against the Vermont Lake Monster, the Oakland A’s farm club.

Troy Johnston, a 17th round draft pick of the parent club Miami Marlins in 2019 out of Gonzaga went 2-for-3 with a 394-foot solo home run to right field that went 102 MPH off the bat. Johnston also hit a RBI double down the left field line in the first and is now hitting .357 on the season.

Sean Reynolds continued his three-game tear in his return to Batavia by going 2-for-4 with a double to increase his average to .545, as he hit two home runs then followed it up with four hits including the double.

Milton Smith II made one of the best catches of the season in centerfield, going on a dead sprint to center and diving head-first toward the fence making a catch to end the fourth inning. Smith II then led off the bottom half of the inning with a single and scored.

Albert Guairamo, Nic Ready and Dalvy Rosario had hits for Batavia.

The pitching staff game up 13 hits but only five runs, as Andrew Miller took the loss, throwing 3.2 innings with three strikeouts. Edison Suriel (two strikeouts) threw 1.1 scoreless innings and Bryan Hoeing in his first appearance in Batavia threw a scoreless inning.

The Muckdogs return home on Wednesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 18 against the Auburn Doubledays then back home July 20, 21 and 22 against Mahoning Valley.