Williamsport bests Muckdogs again

BATAVIA – The Batavia Muckdogs will try again today to end the toughest losing streak of the 2019 season as they host the Williamsport Crosscutters at 5:05 p.m. as part of Irish Night.

On Saturday, a crowd of 2,779 packed Dwyer Stadium, but the Muckdogs fell to Williamsport, 7-0.

Batavia (24-18) remains not only in first place in the New York-Penn Pinckney Division, but in the hunt for the best overall NYPL record, trailing Lowell (Red Sox) 26-14) and the Mets farm club, Brooklyn Cyclones (24-16).

The Muckdogs, the affiliate of the Miami Marlins, still have a two-game lead over the West Virginia Black Bears, who have lost two in a row and are 21-19. Mahoning Valley (22-20) have won two in a row and State College (22-20) have won three in a row. The Muckdogs have lost four.

The Williamsport team was having the fun on the field as Kendall Simmons hit a home run and Juan Aparicio went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple.

Batavia was led by the hot-hitting J.D. Orr who went 2-for-4. The 10th round pick this year of the Marlins is now hitting a lead-leading .375 on the season.

Andrew Turner, Troy Johnston and Dalvy Rosario all had hits for Batavia.

Muck dogs pitching has now put up some awning two-game stars. A total of seven pitchers have thrown 18 innings with 21 strikeouts and zero walks.

Saturday, Easton Lucas (four K’s in three innings), Dakota Bennett (two strikeouts in 5.0 innings) and Joey Steele (a scoreless ninth and he struck out the side) combined for nine strikeouts and no walks.

Muckdogs catcher Dustin Skelton, an 18th round Marlins draft pick this year, threw out three runners trying to steal.