Big inning dooms Scrappers

Muckdogs score seven runs in fifth

Associated Press

Batavia, N.y.

The Batavia Muckdogs only needed to score in one inning as the Scrappers fell 7-2 on Saturday night.

The Scrappers (17-18) only managed two hits and scored their only run on an error.

Michael Cooper was hit by a pitch from Julio Frias in the top of the second inning. Johnathan Rodriguez walked and Yainer Diaz singled. Cooper and Rodriguez scored after Joab Gonzalez hit a groundball with two down, but first baseman Sean Reynolds missed the catch.

Scrappers starter Liam Jenkins allowed two hits and a walk, striking out four in four innings pitched.

Francis Cespedes took over for Jenkins in the fifth.

Cespedes walked Keegan Fish and Ronal Reynoso singled to start the fifth. J.D. Orr’s single to left field scored Fish and got the Muckdogs (22-13) on the board. Reynoso scored on a wild pitch later in the inning to tie the game.

Later in the fifth, Andrew Turner hit a bases-loaded double to center field to put the Muckdogs in fron 5-2. Milton Smith II followed with an RBI single and Reynoso doubled in a run.

Cespedes (2-2) allowed five runs on two hits and three walks, only recording one out.

Frias (3-1) gave up two unearned runs in 52/3 innings. He allowed one hit and three walks with eight strikeouts.

Batavia’s pitchers — Frias, M.D. Johnson, Joey Steele and Broke Love — struck out 14 of 24 batters faced.

The Scrappers and Muckdogs will play the second game of their three-game series today. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.