Submitted photos and press release:
For the better part of eight innings Thursday night, the Batavia Muckdogs were in danger dropping out of first place.
Enter the power of Nic Ready and Sean Reynolds.
After a Troy Johnston's RBI single gave Batavia a 5-4 lead, Ready blasted a two-run double followed by a 418-foot home run by Reynolds to center field.
Batavia (36-29) scored seven runs and went on to win, 9-5.
West Virginia fell to Auburn, 5-2 to drop to 34-29, one game behind Batavia. State College (Pa.) is 33-32 and three back.
Batavia and State College play again tonight at 7:05.
The Muckdogs trailed, 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Ready crushed his eighth home run of the season to left field. The ball left the yard in such a hurry the left fielder never moved.
Ready finished with four RBIs, and he returned from the New York-Penn League All-Star Game with six other teammates before the game.
"We are used to it, we like to think jet-lag is not a thing. We show up and play the game," Ready said. "We got some good rest, got some fluids in us, hydrated and go get them tonight.
"We knew we were in the lineup, we were at the all-star game for a reason so we might as well show it at our home field," Ready added.
Down 4-2 in the eighth, Ready, a 2019 Miami Marlins draft pick out of the Air Force, said the attitude was to win.
"We have a saying, 'Dogs, Never Die,' we are always in a fight, especially on our home turf, anything can happen," Ready said. "A team could take the lead, we put up seven runs late and come up to win it. We love playing at home, a lot of fans came out and we appreciate it."
The Muckdogs then played some outstanding defense as State College was threatening in the top of the sixth. Moises Castillo singled and Batavia center-fielder Milton Smith fired the ball to Muckdogs first baseman Sean Reynolds who alertly went to second base to nab Castillo. Second baseman Andrew Turner tagged him out then fired to Nic Ready at third base to get David Vinsky who originally was trying to score.
On the mound for Batavia, Jackson Rose started and struck out one in 4.1 innings, then Joniker Villalobos struck out two in one inning. Jeremy Galindez tossed 2.1 innings of one-run ball with two strikeouts. With runners on and State College leading 4-2, Edison Suriel came on and got a strikeout to end the seventh.
Suriel stayed in for the win, improving to 3-2 and he went 1.1 innings striking out three.
Tonight, the first 1,000 fans will receive a free 2019 team photo. There were 1,166 fans at the game Thursday at Dwyer Stadium.
It is also Crafty Hour sponsored by Eli Fish Brewing Co. for the first hour as all drafts are $3.
The Genesee County Economic Development Center is the game sponsor.
Saturday night there will be fireworks.
Upcoming schedule: Tonight home 7:05, and Saturday home 7:05 p.m. against State College. Sunday 5:05 p.m. against Williamsport. Monday, home at 7:05 p.m. against Williamsport; and Tuesday's game is at 11:05 a.m.
Tickets are available at muckdogs.com or stop by the Dwyer Stadium Ticket office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the week. The number is 585-483-3647.
Top photo: Sean Reynolds after a two-run home run in the eighth inning for Batavia.
Bottom photo: Gunner Pollman, Batavia's catcher, singles against State College (Pa.).
