muckdogs

It looked like it was going to be a close game -- until Jamestown (44-29) scored twelve runs in the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th innings to put it well out of reach for the Muckdogs (44-28), as the Jammers won 13-4 and moved to just a half game out of first place.

Zach Pitts (1-5) started the game and got the loss as he threw four and a third innings with two hits, three runs (one earned), two walks and three strikeouts.  Arquimedes Nieto had a rough outing when he came in to pitch in the 6th.  His once league-leading low ERA rose more than a point, as he allowed seven hits, eight runs and two walks.  Tom Koehler (5-5) was tough for Batavia in his start.  He got the win through his five innings with four hits, one run, one walk and seven strikeouts.

The Muckdogs took a 1-0 lead in the 1st when Colt Sedbrook singled, stole second and came home when Shane Peterson doubled.  Jamestown tied it up in the 3rd on a solo homerun off the bat of Justin Bass.  They added two more in the 5th in an inning that included a throwing error, a walk and two hit batsmen.  Three more Jammer runs in the next inning made the game 6-1.

Batavia scored their second run in the 6th.  Sedbook led off the inning with a walk.  Peterson then doubled moving Sedbrook to third before Charlie Cutler came up with a RBI single. But, Jamestown scored six runs in the very next inning to put the game well out of reach.  Batavia's last two runs came in the 7th when Jose Garcia walked, Jermaine Curtis singled and Sedbrook doubled to score both.

Sedbrook went 3-for-4 in the game with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.  Peterson went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and one RBI. The other multi-hit night came from Edwin Gomez, who went 2-for-4 with a double.

The Muckdogs are home today and tomorrow for the last two regular season games of the year against State College.  Get out to Dwyer and support the team as they try to clinch a first place finish!

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With two games left, here's where our top players sit in the NYPL:

• In his rough outing, Arquimedes dropped to 10th in pitching with a 2.95 ERA and 6-1 record.
• Adam Reifer is 2nd in saves with 21 and tied for 1st in games with 30.
• Colt Sedbrook's .311 BA is 7th in the league.  He is also 3rd in hits (83) and 3rd in on-base percentage (.399).
• Jose Garcia is 2nd in stolen bases with 25 and tied for 4th with 45 runs scored.
• Shane Peterson has a .406 on-base percentage which puts him in 2nd.
• The team is 2nd in batting (.268) and 3rd in pitching (3.34)

The Muckdogs lost. Big time. The final score of tonight's big match with Jamestown was a blowout: 13-4.

The Jammers (44-29) now sit a mere half game back of Batavia (44-28) in the Pinckney Division.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn won again, to maintain a half-game lead in the wild card race.

All-in-all, a bad night at Dwyer Stadium.

Or was it?

Tonight was "Bill Kauffman Night." Bill threw out the first pitch, autographed books for fans who gave the correct answers to trivia questions, and his daughter and a friend sang the National Anthem and "America the Beautiful."

I sat with Kauffman and his friends and family in the third-base bleachers. It was a good lesson in what it really means to attend a minor league baseball game in a small town.

It isn't all about the game. It's about the camaraderie, shared memories and hearty laughs.

That said, not a single significant play was missed by the group and the level of baseball knowledge was higher than I've found in big league stadiums where I've seen games.

If that experience in "Little Elba," as General Manager Dave Wellenzohn calls it, could be captured in a marketing message -- if more families and groups of friends could better appreciate how much fun an evening at the ballpark can be, win or lose, the Muckdogs would sell out every game.

As much fun as the evening was, the highlight might have been meeting local legend John Hodgins.

After the fifth inning, when Wellenzohn thanked The Batavian for its sponsorship of the team in 2008, and pointed out that I was sitting with the "Little Elba" group, Mr. Hodgins came over and introduced himself.

I cringed at first. I thought he was going to complain about our "fly swat" post, poking fun at a cartoon he drew for the Daily News. Nope, he said. That didn't bother him at all. He's just curious about what we're doing and wanted to meet me. That, my friends, is quite a complement.

I've seen Hodgins art work. I'm impressed. I hope to own some of it some day. I'll feel honored for a long, long time that he wanted to meet me.

I also got to meet in person for the first time Russ Stresing. We chatted for ten minutes or so as the game drew to a close. That, too, was cool.

So, you see, a night at the ballpark is more than just about the game. It's also about the people.

You should go.

Yes, the division crown isn't wrapped up yet, but there is hope: The Muckdogs, sitting in the cat bird seat, have two home games against State College (18-54) who seem hardly to even be going through the motions anymore, while Jamestown must play third-place Williamsport (38-34).

After the game, however, Wellenzohn and the Red Wing's Dan Mason insisted that State College needs to be taken seriously. There's no guarantees.  With that said, you really need to get out to Dwyer Friday and Saturday and support the team.

In the 7-2 loss last night, the Muckdogs (44-27) now sit just a game and a half above the Jammers (43-29) in first place in the Pinckney Division.  Errors proved costly for Batavia in the contest, as they had five, and the pitching staff was less sharp than they have been of late.

Josh Hester (2-2) picked up the loss in his start.  He threw two and a third innings with nine hits, seven runs (four earned) and three strikeouts.  Jammer Elih Villanueva (2-1)got the win as he pitched the first six innings with six hits, one run, one walk and four strikeouts.

Jamestown wasted no time jumping to an early lead as they scored five runs in the 1st inning.  Two singles followed by a three-run homerun off the bat of Miguel Fermin started the assault.  Two RBI singles later in the inning made it a 5-0 game.

The Muckdogs first got on the board in the 3rd.  They scored one run when Edwin Gomez doubled and came home when Shane Peterson singled.  The Jammers answered right back with two more runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.  Ernie Banks reached on a fielding error before Joel Staples singled and Brandon Turner followed with a double.

Batavia tried to rally in the 8th, scoring once more on singles by Peterson and Frederick Parejo.  Parejo went 3-for-4 in the game with a RBI.  Jermaine Curtis went 2-for-5 with a double.  Peterson also was 2-for-5, with a RBI and a run scored.

The Muckdogs come HOME to Dwyer Stadium tonight at 7:05 to take on Jamestown again; a win can clinch a first place finish.

The Muckdogs dropped a crucial Pinckney Division game Wednesday night in Jamestown, as the second-place Jammers closed within a game of division-leading Batavia.

After the 7-2 lose, the Muckdogs (44-27) have a chance to claim the division title at home tonight against Jamestown (43-29).  The two teams square off at 7:05 p.m. at Dwyer Stadium.

A game and a half separate the Western New York rivals.

A lot is on the line for both teams as Brooklyn (44-29) gained a half-game lead in the wild card race. The red hot Cyclones are 9-1 over their last nine games, and beat Hudson Valley last night 9-6.

The Jamestown newspaper reports this morning that because of rain outs that won't be made up, Batavia has a slight mathematical advantage in the division race.

It was a must win for the Jammers, but still might be too little too late. With the victory, Jamestown now trails Batavia by 1 games in the Pinckney Division. The teams play tonight in Batavia and if the Muckdogs win, they claim the title.

If Jamestown wins, it is still alive, but Batavia has a big edge. The Muckdogs had a game each with Mahoning Valley and Oneonta rained out and the NY-P League has announced that those games will not be made up. The Muckdogs have three games left while the Jammers have four, so if the teams end up tied, the Muckdogs would still win the title on percentage points.

In last night's game, Frederick Parejo had three hits, while Jermaine Curtis and Shane Peterson each collected two.

The Muckdogs made five errors and turned two double plays.

Josh Hester (2-2) took the loss, going 2 1/3 innings and giving up four earned runs on nine hits.

The Jammers struck early, as the first four batter reached base, including a three-run homer from catcher Miguel Fermin

It should go without saying, but you need to be at the game tonight.

Batavia (44-26) had eight doubles in their 10-2 win over State College (16-54).  With the win and another Jamestown loss, the Muckdogs now have a two and a half game lead as they sit in first place.

Thomas Eager (6-3) got the win in the start, going five innings with three hits, one run, three walks and one strikeout.  Tyler Cox (0-1) picked up his first decision in the loss, going two innings with five hits, three runs, one walk and three strikeouts.

The game was scoreless until the 3rd when Batavia scored one when Jose Garcia hit a double and Jermaine Curtis reached on a throwing error, enabling Garcia to come home.  The Spikes came back to tie it in the bottom of the inning, scoring after the bases were loaded after a walk, single and hit batsman.  Jeremy Farrell then hit a sacrifice fly for the one run.

But the game didn't stay tied long, as the Muckdogs plated another run on a Charlie Cutler walk and Xavier Scruggs double in the 4th, and they never looked back.  Two more tallies were added in the 5th.  Back-to-back doubles by Garcia and Curtis scored the first.  The other run came as Cutler singled to score Curtis.

Another two was added in the 6th.  To start things, Chris Swauger doubled and Edwin Gomez singled.  Garcia then hit into a force out which brought Swauger home.  A double by Curtis later in the inning scored Garcia.

Batavia's big inning came in the 8th as they scored four runs in the inning.  Gomez singled, Garcia doubled, Curtis doubled, Colt Sedbrook singled and Shane Peterson singled to plate the four runs on five hits.

State College showed some life in the bottom of the 9th as they plated one on a fielding error and a single, but the Muckdog damage was too great.

Garcia ended the night 3-for-6 with three doubles, four runs, two RBI and a stolen base.  Curtis also had three doubles as he went 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI.  Let's hope Batavia can carry this offensive surge into Jamestown tonight as they strive for that first place finish.

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Here's where our Muckdogs stand in the NYPL:

• Thomas Eager: 2nd in pitching (6-3, 1.76 ERA)
• Arquimedes Nieto: 3rd in pitching (6-1, 1.76 ERA)
• Adam Reifer: T1st in saves (21); 1st in games (30)
• Colt Sedbrook: 7th in batting (.309); 3rd in hits (80); 3rd in on-base percentage (.396)
• Jose Garcia: 2nd in stolen bases (25); T4th in runs scored (44)
• Shane Peterson: 2nd in on-base percentage (.403)
• As a team: 2nd in batting (.268); 3rd in pitching (3.23)

From the Post-Journal:

WILLIAMSPORT-The Jamestown Jammers are doing everything in their power to not make the playoffs this season, dropping their second-straight contest against Williamsport, 2-1, in the New York Penn League.

What also hurts is that every other team in the playoff hunt has been winning lately.

Batavia won Tuesday, pushing the Jammers 2 games out in the Pinckney Division and game out in the wild card with only four games left in the regular season for Jamestown.

The Brooklyn Cyclones, after winning nine in a row, finally took a loss as well to keep their slim game lead over the Jammers for the wild card spot.

Tuesday's loss was a tough one, as the Jammers pitching staff didn't allow an earned run all night while the offense left seven on base and grounded into two double plays.

Meanwhile, the Centre Daily Times reports on the Spikes/Muckdogs game and its playoff implications:

UNIVERSITY PARK — With a two-game series against Jamestown looming, fiery Batavia manager Mark DeJohn handed his team explicit instructions:

Take advantage of a battered opponent.

The Muckdogs again met their animated manager’s demands.

The differences between a team approaching the postseason and one collecting return tickets home were on display Tuesday as the Muckdogs hammered the Spikes 10-2 to easily sweep a two-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

Take away a two-error ninth inning, and the Muckdogs resembled a playoff team the past two nights.

Batavia scored 23 runs and recorded 30 hits to move 21/ 2 games ahead of Jamestown, which lost to Williamsport 2-1, in the Pinckney Division standings. The Muckdogs (44-26) can clinch their first division title since 1998 by defeating the Jammers (42-29) tonight at Jamestown’s Diethrick Park or Thursday in Batavia.

We have come a long ways from city council meetings and searching for ways to save our team! The community needs to come together now for a strong finish with attendance and what better way to come together with a very possible playoff run? I challenge everyone on this site to bring family, friends or co-workers to the remaining games at Dwyer stadium. We have three home games left on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Then the playoffs! Yes the playoffs! Lets fill the stands, make some noise and have some fun at 299 Dwyer!  Let's send a message to Rochester thanking them for saving "OUR TEAM" and let them know we will be here for years to come supporting our team!  Business owners, buy two tickets to the rest of the games and give them away to your employees. Season ticket holders, bring a friend to the remaining games.  Every little bit helps, we have proven that since last December. I will see you there! Thanks Dave, Naomi, Travis, Mollie, Rock, Barb and all of the other great people associated with the Muckdogs!  You have done a great job all season with all the obstacles you have hurdled! From the season opener with the rain delay to the end of the season, you have been great! GO DOGS!

The Muckdogs won tonight 10-2 as Jamestown fell 2-1 to Williamsport...increasing Batavia's first place lead to 2.5 games!!  We had an astounding 8 doubles on the night in our second straight big win.

Full game re-cap and new league standings & leaders to come in the morning!

Something exciting will be happening at 299 Bank St. starting Thursday. No, it's not a City Council meeting. It's not a knock down the mall rally. It's a BASEBALL GAME!! A real life,professional,championship on the line,baseball game. The Muckdogs, the BATAVIA Muckdogs, are playing the jamestown jammers for the division title. Who would have predicted last January that they would be playing such great baseball at Dwyer on September 4th? So, Bill,Charlie,Jason and all you combatants on Main St? I expect to see all of you at the ballpark at 7 on Thursday and you can all cheer together for a Batavia victory.

With a Batavia win and a Jamestown loss yesterday, the Muckdogs now sit in first place, 1 1/2 games above the Jammers.  The Muckdogs are also doing well individually.  Here's a look:

• In the NYPL, Arquimedes Nieto is in 2nd place for pitching, with a 1.76 ERA and 6-1 record.
• Adam Reifer remains tied for 1st in saves with 21 and leads in games with 30.
• Colt Sedbrook is 6th in batting (.311), 3rd in hits (79) and 3rd in on-base percentage (.399)
• Shane Peterson's 19 doubles put him in a three-way tie for 2nd place.  His .403 on-base percentage is 2nd in the league.
• Jose Garcia is 2nd in stolen bases with 24.
• Collectively, the team is 3rd in both hitting and pitching with a combined BA of .265 and ERA of 3.27.

The Muckdogs' (43-26) 13-0 win against the Spikes (16-53) was as lopsided in the stats as in the score.  State College had only three hits and five errors compared to Batavia's twelve hits and no errors, in a great game offensively and on the mound for the first place Muckdogs.

In the start, Scott Gorgen (4-2) earned himself the win in five innings with two hits, one walk and one strikeout.  Miguel Tapia followed him with one hit and four strikeouts through three innings, and LaCurtis Mayes pitched the 9th with two strikeouts to close-out the shutout.  The Spikes' Brian Leach (1-3) lasted three and a third innings with five hits, six runs (four earned) and three walks in the loss.

The Muckdogs wasted no time getting on-board, as they scored two in the 1st on a Colt Sedbrook single and Shane Peterson two-run homerun.  The biggest inning of the night came in the 4th as they scored four runs.  Bases were loaded early as Charlie Cutler walked, Xavier Scruggs doubled and Frederick Parejo also walked.  Cutler came in to score when Chris Swauger hit into a force out.  After Edwin Gomez walked, both Scruggs and Swauger came home on a fielding error.  Gomez scored the last run of the inning as he came home when Sedbrook hit into a force out.

Batavia scored once more in the 6th on singles by Gomez and Jermaine Curtis.  They scored three runs in the next inning, starting with two walks to Cutler and Scruggs.  Another error enabled Cutler to move to third to be in position to come home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Parejo.  Swauger then hit one deep to right for the Muckdogs' second two-run shot of the night.

As if 10-0 wasn't enough, Batavia tacked on three more runs in the 9th.  Parejo reached on an error and Gomez walked before Alex Castellanos came up with pinch-hit triple to get himself two RBI.  He then came home when Curtis hit a sacrifice fly.

Curtis ended the night 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.  Sedbrook got things swinging again, going 3-for-6 with a RBI and run scored.  The Spikes host the Muckdogs again tomorrow night before Batavia travels to Jamestown.   I'll bring the new NYPL standings first thing to you in the morning.

As of right now, Jamestown lost a 1-0 game to Williamsport and our Muckdogs are up 7-0 against the Spikes in State College...I'll have a full game re-cap later, as well as updated standings and statistics when all the NYPL games are completed!

Since this is the last week of the regular season, I'll have full game re-caps and standings/stats EVERY DAY! So, be sure to check back in and get out to Dwyer this Thursday, Friday and Saturday as we continue our quest for the NYPL title!

The Batavia Muckdogs (42-26) enter the closing week of the season with a half game lead on the Jamestown Jammers (42-27) for the PInckney Division crown.

Winning the division could prove more significant than it seemed a week ago, when the Brooklyn Cyclones (42-28) sat three games back behind Batavia (then in second place in the division).  Since then, Brooklyn has reeled off eight straight wins and now sits a mere game behind Jamestown. If Brooklyn stays hot, the Pinckney's second place team -- either Batavia or Jamestown -- may not make the playoffs.

The next two days of games, however, are decidedly in Batavia's favor as they head to State College (16-52), where the Spikes have flirted with achieving the worst record in New York-Penn League history (the 1981 Batavia team holds the record at  16-59). Meanwhile, the Jammers travel to Williamsport (35-33, but 17-19 at home).

Tonight's game is at 5 p.m., while Jamestown and Williamsport clash at 1 p.m. and Brooklyn plays Aberdeen (34-36) at 7 p.m.

The Muckdogs are in Jamestown on Wednesday and then close out the season with three games at home -- Jamestown on Thursday at 7:05 p.m., and State College on both Friday and Saturday at 7:05 p.m.

According to the printed schedule, Friday's game is not slated to be a fireworks night.  Maybe Red Wings management will have a change of heart (hint, hint) so the team and fans can celebrate a great season -- especially if that turns out to be the night the Muckdogs clinch the division.

In the battle for first, the Muckdogs (42-26) overtook the lead as they beat rival Jamestown (42-27) by a score of 5-3.  Ramon Delgado (6-1) looked sharp once again in the start, getting the win in his five innings with three hits, one run and seven strikeouts.  Brad Hand (0-2) came out on the losing end for the Jammers, going four and two-thirds innings with six hits, three runs, three walks and five strikeouts.

Batavia started off the offense by scoring three runs in the 2nd inning.  Shane Peterson walked, Christian Rosa singled and Frederick Parejo was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Chris Swauger then came up with a two RBI single.  In the next at-bat, Edwin Gomez singled to score Parejo.  The Jammers got on the board in the top of the 3rd as Brandon Turner singled and Justin Bass had a RBI triple.

The score remained 3-1 until the Muckdogs added two insurance runs in the 8th.  Charlie Cutler, Parejo and Swauger started off the inning with consecutive base hits to score one.  Jermaine Curtis had a sacrifice fly to score Batavia's fifth and last run of the game.  Jamestown looked to make things interesting in the 9th as they scored two runs on a single and triple, but to no avail.

Curtis ended 2-for-2 with an RBI.  Parejo and Swauger both went 2-for-3; Parejo had two runs scored and Swauger had three RBI.  The Muckdogs now sit half a game up of the Jammers.  Batavia now heads to State College for two games, before traveling to Jamestown again on Wednesday.

Going into today's game vs. Jamestown, Batavia is a 1/2 game out of first in the Pinckney Division with a record of 41-26.  A win today would swap places with the Jammers again to put us back in first.  Here's where some of our top players are in the league:

• With his first loss of the season last night, Arquimedes Nieto dropped to 3rd in pitching with a 6-1 record and 1.76 ERA.
• Adam Reifer is tied for the lead in saves with 21 and is first in games with 29.
• Colt Sedbrook is 6th in batting with a .313 BA, tied for 3rd in hits with 76 and 2nd in on-base percentage at .404.
• Jose Garcia's 24 stolen bases on the season put him in 2nd place in the league.
• Shane Peterson has a .403 on-base percentage, the 3rd best.
• The Muckdogs as a team are 5th in pitching with a 3.35 ERA and 4th in hitting with a .263 combined BA.

On their 5 game road trip, the Muckdogs won two, lost two and were rained out once as they continue the fight for first place in the Pinckney Division with Jamestown, with whom they dropped a game to tonight.  Here's a quick look at these past 4 games:

• Tuesday, August 26:  Mahoning Valley 8, Batavia 7-  The Muckdogs had a 4-run rally in the 9th to battle back after 4 errors to tie the game 7-7, but they couldn't hold on for the victory.  Jason Buursma (1-3) suffered the loss in his 2/3 of an inning, letting in 1 run with 3 walks.  Edwin Gomez was the biggest power at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, a homerun, 3 runs scored and a RBI.
• Wednesday, August 27:  RAINOUT- Inclement weather cancelled the second game of the road trip.  There is no make-up for this game.
• Thursday, August 28:  Batavia 11, Williamsport 7-  The day off must have helped the Muckdogs, as they got back on the winning track.  Thomas Eager (5-3) got the win, throwing 4 innings with 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.  Adam Reifer picked up his 20th save in his 1/3 inning of work.  Charlie Cutler went 4-for-5 with a homerun, 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.  Shane Peterson went 3-for-6 with a double.
• Friday, August 29: Batavia 4, Williamsport 2-  This time, the opposition suffered from errors, as Williamsport had 3 in the game to help Batavia get another win.  Hector Cardenas (5-0) kept his perfect record through 5 innings with 2 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.  Reifer (21) pitched 1 1/3 with a strikeout to get the save.  Batavia's 5 hits were scattered throughout the lineup;  Peterson had the sole extra-base hit, a double, on the night.
• Saturday, August 30: Jamestown 10, Batavia 2-  5 errors in the first game of the pivitol series of the year proved costly for the Muckdogs.  Arquimedes Nieto (6-1) lost his perfect record, as he got the loss in his 4 innings with 8 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.  Jose Garcia and Cutler had the only multi-hit nights; Garcia went 2-for-4 with 2 stolen bases and Cutler finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.

The Muckdogs had  a 1/2 game lead going into Jamestown, but now swapped places with the Jammers after the loss.  The official standings and stats have not been posted yet, but I will bring them to you in the morning (or shall I say later this morning since it's already 1:00)...

The series continues Sunday at Dwyer at 1:05.

Jamestown got to Muckdogs ace Arquimedes Nieto (6-1) for six runs (four earned) in the fist four innings tonight and never looked back, beating Batavia 10-2 to regain a half game lead in the Pinckney Division.

Jose Garcia and Charles Cutler each collected two hits. Garcia also had two stolen bases.

Jamestown and Batavia clash again Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Dwyer Stadium.

Box Score.

A mere half game will separate Pinckney Division leaders Batavia and Jamestown as the Muckdogs enter into a two-game series with their Western New York rivals.

The Muckdogs will be on top after a 4-2 defeat of Williamsport Friday night behind the pitching of Hector Cardenas (5-0) and Adam Reifer, who notched his 21st save.

Jamestown, meanwhile, lost to Auburn 5-4.

Saturday's game will be in Jamestown and begins at 7:05 p.m.  On Sunday, the teams return to Batavia for a 1:05 p.m. game.

Many people like Minor League Baseball because they can see players as they get their start in professional baseball and then continue to follow their progress as they try to make it up to the big leagues.  We have had several players moved up to be River Bandits in Quad Cities, Iowa.  Here is a look at how they have done so far:

• Lance Lynn, Pitcher:  Lynn had 2 starts as a River Bandit before being placed on the DL for his elbow.  In his two starts, he has a 2.25 ERA and a 0-1 record.  He threw a total of 8 innings with 8 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.
• Blake Murphy, Catcher:  One of Batavia's biggest power hitters, Murphy isn't doing as well at the next level.  He is batting just .196, with 11 hits in 56 at-bats.  He has 1 double, 1 homerun, 9 walks and 20 strikeouts through 19 games.
• Domnit Boliver, Third Base:  Bolivar was the primary shortstop while in Batavia, but has spent most of his time at third for the River Bandits.  He has an average of .254 with 16 doubles, 5 triples, 7 homeruns and 36 RBI.  He also has stolen 4 bases. (*note that these numbers are from his entire time in Quad Cities.  He started there in April, moved down to Batavia in early July, and moved back up in early August.  These stats include his time before and after playing in Batavia (87 games)).
• Jameson Maj, Pitcher:  In 4 games, Maj has a 0-2 record, 5.40 ERA and 1 save.  In 16 2/3 innings he has allowed 17 hits, 10 runs and 2 walks while striking out 15.  He has served equal time as a starter and a reliever, throwing 2 games as each.
• Jon Edwards, Outfield:  Edwards has a .250 average in 64 at-bats through 18 games, serving most of his time in right field.  He has 16 hits, including 3 doubles, 2 homeruns and 10 RBI.  He has performed best against lefties, batting a big .462 against them.

In the tight race for the Pinckney Division crown, the Muckdogs pulled back within half a game of Jamestown Thursday with an 11-7 win over Williamsport.

Meanwhile, Jamestown was clobbered by Auburn, 15-2.

The hometown heroes were powered by catcher Charles C. Cutler, who went 4-5, including a home run, two runs scored and three RBI. He raised season average to .283.

Shane Paterson also picked up three hits. Jose Garcia had two stolen bases.

Starter George Brown went four innings and gave up four runs. He did not factor in the decision. The winning pitcher was Thomas Eager, who went four innings yielding a single run. His record moves to 5-3.

Closer Adam Reifer was called on to get the final out and he picked up his 20th save of the season.

The Muckdogs remain three games ahead of Brooklyn in the wild card race.

Complete box score. Standings.

The Muckdogs face off with Williamsport again tonight at 7:05 p.m. and are home Sunday to play Jamestown at 1:05 p.m.