muckdogs

On a day when the Batavia Muckdogs picked up an important fifth-straight win in a tight Pinckney Division race, the team learned another strong arm is on its way.

Seth Blair, a first-round supplemental draft pick for the St. Louis Cardinals has agreed to terms and will report to Batavia. Blair, 21, was the 46th player taken overall in the June draft.

He was 12-1 in 18 starts this season at Arizona State University with a 3.64 ERA. He struck out 108 batters and walked 29. He won the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year award.

The Muckdogs, who have been hot in July, picking up 15 wins, are one game behind Williamsport and tied with Jamestown for second place in the Pinckney Division.

The Jammers play the Muckdogs at Dwyer tonight, 7:05 game time, and then the teams travel to Jamestown tomorrow for a twi-nite double header.

Last night, the Muckdogs kept their win streak going by scoring two runs in the 10th inning (after giving up a run in the top of the 10th) to pull out an 8-7 victory over Auburn.

Outfielder Jon Edwards, who's in his fourth stint with Batavia and has struggled since a strong 2008 campaign (helping the Muckdogs win the NY-Penn League championship), had a big night Friday, hitting a home run and driving in three runs.

Joey Bergman had two hits and three RBIs while first-year pro Victor Sanchez, playing first base, had four hits and scored three times (hitting ahead of Edwards and Bergman). Nick Longmire had two hits.

The final run of the game came on a wild pitch allowing Mike O'Neill to score from third.

Listen I know you all have probably read posts here online or elswhere about our Batavia Muckdogs. I'm sure you all know that the Muckdogs have had financial problems over the last few years and that this is a very important year for the future of our franchise.

Something you might not have thought of is the quality-of-life issue for our city and county. The Muckdogs have been a part of our area since 1939. I believe that's the year both the "Wizard of Oz" and "Gone with the Wind" came to our theaters. Needless to say, it's been a long time. During those years, many players have passed through Batavia with their dreams of some day playing in the big leagues. Most go onto other cities, carrying those dreams until one day they either make it to the big leagues or they get sent home looking for a job in "the real world."

Seasons pass, but one thing has always remained, our Clippers, Pirates, Indians, Trojans and Muckdogs have always returned. The "Boys of Summer" come to Batavia with their dreams. This could very well be the last summer where that happens! The 2010 Batavia Muckdogs might be the last season of professional baseball to ever play at Dwyer stadium on a beautiful summer night. What will that mean for the people of Batavia and Genesee County?

Our community will welcome next spring like it always does after a long hard winter! Spring fever will be everywhere! The "snowbirds" from the south will come back north to Batavia to be with family and friends for the summer. Kids will be getting out of school looking forward to a summer of fun! Yes some things will always remain the same, but something will be very different, something that has always been taken for granted. Our Muckdogs could be GONE FOREVER!

Summer nights at Dwyer stadium aren't just about baseball games. They are the last place in our county where people gather weekly to see old friends and make new ones.  Many kids from the NY State School for the Blind come to games, kids of all ages gather at Dwyer for a summer night of fun. Some even get to run on the field with Muckdog players. Buses come to Dwyer with Batavia's older generation from area retirement homes for a night out of summer fun. Area businesses promote their own businesses at Dwyer and promote community togetherness. Church groups join together for a summer night. Everyone in Genesee County seems to come to Dwyer on the 4th of July for their traditional fireworks!

Please never take anything for granted, because once you do, you stand a great chance of losing it forever! Our baseball team (no matter what name you call them) will be the same! Oh yes we will have the stories to share with friends about fun nights at Dwyer.  Just like many have of former nights at many other local area traditional places that are now nothing but ghosts!  I can already picture it now for the 4th of July celebration for 2011. Cars driving down Bank Street packing the sides of the street and people walking down to a quiet Dwyer stadium. All of them questioning if they already missed the fireworks?  Then maybe they will realize that they missed out on a lot more. That they took things for granted and now start to realize what they have lost forever!

It's not too late! You can make a difference Batavia and Genesee County! You can start with coming out tonight and tomorrow night (July 30th &31st). Pack the stands, show your support, spread the word, enjoy new friendships and old ones as well, watch young men start their dreams and end the night with fireworks both nights! Nobody would take our team if the stands were packed the rest of the season! Why would they? But if they aren't packed, be ready to start sharing your past stories once this season is over!

In second place, a game behind Williamsport, with a four-game winning streak and a 11-3 record so far in July, the Batavia Muckdogs return home tonight to face Auburn.

Fireworks will follow the game, which starts at 7:05.

The 22-16 Muckdogs beat Auburn (15-25) in Auburn last night, 8-3.

Hot-hitting Audris Perez doubled in three runs and Joey Bergman added two RBIs.

Fifth-round draft pick Nicholas Longmire is 6th in runs scored (27), 6th in triples (4), tied for second in home runs (7), tied for first in RBIs (36), 5th in total bases (74), 1st in slugging (.578)

Perez is third in RBIs with 31 and 6th batting average (.346).

The Muckdogs feature two starting pitchers among the league leaders in ERA (Justin Edwards, 2.04, and Nick McCully, 2.31). Edwards, in his second tour with Batavia, is 3-1 for the season.

Starter Andrew Moss, who tossed seven perfect innings earlier this month, has four wins, tying him for third in the league, with a 3.54 ERA. Edwards and Moss are tied for 10th in the league with 34 Ks each.

The Muckdogs take on Jamestown at Dwyer on Saturday, and then travel to Jamestown for a twi-night double-header against the Jammers, returning home Monday to face Mahoning Valley.

This is the first in a series of videos we're posting to help you get to know your Batavia Muckdogs players better.

The Muckdogs return home this Sunday, July 25, for a two-game series with the Williamsport Crosscutters, an affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. Game time is 5:05 p.m., with gates opening at 4.

With every Sunday, we’ll once again have Bob Evans Restaurant’s Post Run the Bases with Homer. All kids have the opportunity to run the bases with Homer after the game! Every child who runs the bases will receive a free kid’s meal coupon courtesy of Bob Evans Restaurant.

Monday, July 26, the Muckdogs will once more face the opposing Crosscutters. Game time begins at 7:05 p.m., with gates opening at 6.

Monday offers a Bike Raffle courtesy of the Lion’s Club of Batavia. The Lions Club will be giving away a bike to one lucky boy and one lucky girl. It will also be Muckdog Monday presented by The Daily News, where fans receive a $1 off a general admission ticket with coupon in the Saturday edition of The Daily News.

Monday is also a Knot Hole Gang game courtesy of Turnbull Heating & Air. At every Knot Hole Gang game, members can get a general admission ticket for just $2 and their parents/guardians also receive a $1 off their ticket.

To find out more information on the Knot Hole Gang, check out muckdogs.com.

For tickets, call the Muckdogs Box Office at 343-5454, ext. 1005.

Another strong pitching effort from starter Justin Edwards, but the Batavia bullpen was unable to protect a 2-1 lead and the Muckdogs (16-15) lost to Williamsport Tuesday, 8-3.

Edwards went six innings and allowed only one unearned run. Travis Lawler was charged with a blown save, giving up two hits and one run, but the Muckdogs were really buried when David Kington came on and gave up three hits, walked three and surrended six runs.

The only Muckdog to post a multi-hit game was Nick Longmire, who went 2-4, scored two runs and smacked his fourth triple of the season.

The Muckdogs return home Sunday to face Williamsport.

One run on an RBI single by hot-hitting catcher Audry Perez in the first inning was all the scoring the Batavia Muckdogs needed at Dwyer Stadium on Monday to notch the team's 16th win of the season.

The Muckdogs (16-14) rode nine innings of scoreless ball by four pitchers to move within two games of the visiting team, first-place Jamestown Jammers (18-12).

Venezuelan Jose Rada, four years in the Cardinals, but in his first season with the Muckdogs, walked one but didn't surrender a hit in the ninth to pick up his sixth save and lower his ERA to 0.98.

The biggest noise of the night came from a group of Jamestown Jammer fans sitting high up in the first-base-side bleachers, cheering on their team in the top and bottom half of every inning -- for eight-and-half innings (pictured below).

Folks, everyone of you reading this who hasn't been to a game yet this season needs to go to at least two. Or we're going to lose our team. Not only is it a lot of fun, and shows great community spirit, but it's also a chance to see future major leaguers up close. This past All-Star Game included 22 players who came through the NY-Penn League.

More pictures after the jump:

The Batavia Muckdogs showed up at Dwyer Stadium last night with their hitting shoes on, slapping around 15 hits and scoring 16 runs to drop the Lowell Red Sox 16-2.

The victory moved the Muckdogs to 13-13 for the year.

Nick Longmire hit his fifth home run of the season and he had, along with Joey Bergman and Colin Walsh, three RBIs.

Rainel Rosario had three hits and drove in a pair of runs.

Justin Edwards went seven innings and surrendered two runs to pick up his second win and lower his ERA to 2.93.

Tonight is fireworks night as the Muckdogs play one more home game against the Boston Red Sox farm team. On Saturday, longtime NY-Penn League rivals Jamestown open a three-game series at Dwyer.

After pushing a 2-2 tie into the 15th inning last night, Batavia and Staten Island lit up the scoreboard with seven runs in the decisive inning.

Fortunately for the Muckdogs, the balance of the runs tipped their way, giving them their 11th victory of the season, against 13 losses.

The 6-5 victory was powered by first basemen Victor Sanchez. The San Diego State University product hit a three-run blast in the 15th for his first home run of the season.

Yunier Castillo added what proved to be a much needed insurance run with a single later in the frame, driving in Adam Melker.

Relief pitcher and Riverside, Calif., native LaCurtis Mayes, in his third season with the Muckdogs, got the win. He's now 2-1.

Colin Walsh, playing second base, picked up three hits, as did third baseman Jonathan Rodriguez. Right Fielder Melker also had three hits, and Sanchez had two.

The Muckdogs return to Dwyer Stadium tonight to begin a six-game home stand, starting with a three-game series against the Red Sox farm club from Lowell, following by three games against longtime NY-Penn League rival Jamestown.

Wednesday is Volunteer Firefighters' Night. There will be fireworks after Friday's game. Saturday features a sun-visor giveaway, a community sleepover and music by Papa and Mama Root.

Andrew Moss, perfect in his last outing, wasn't quite as perfect Monday night, but good enough to notch his third win of the season.

The Batavia Muckdogs beat Tri-Cities 9-6 behind the hitting of catcher Audris Perez, a  third-year pro out of the Dominican Republic. Perez had three hits, driving in four base runners.

Second baseman Colin Walsh had the team's only other multi-hit game with two singles. Walsh, a first-year pro from San Diego and a product of Stanford, recently joined the team from Johnson City.

For the second time of the season, Nick Longmire homered in the lead off spot. It was his fourth homer of the season.

Moss went 5 1/3 innings, surrendering three runs on three hits, but he also walked five batters.

Jose Rada fanned two hitters in the ninth to pick up his fourth save.

The Muckdogs are in Tri-Cities again tonight, have Wednesday off and start a three-game home stand Thursday against Connecticut.

There were plenty of fireworks at Dwyer Stadium tonight, unfortunately, they didn't come while any Muckdogs were at the plate.

Four Auburn pitchers shutdown Batavia's offense, as the Doubledays (8-8) picked up a 4-0 win over the home squad in front of more than 1,500 fans.

Starter Justin Edwards, of Guyton, Ga., and making his second swing through Batavia, held the Doubledays to only four hits in 5 2/3 innings, but he also walked three and the lone run he surrendered was enough to tag him with the loss.

Batavia is now 7-9, but trailed first place Jamestown (9-7) by only two games in the Pinckney Division.

The Muckdogs will be out of town for July 4, starting a three-game series against Tri-Cities.

The team returns home July 8 against Connecticut.

More pictures after the jump:

Andrew Moss, a 24-year-old, second-year pro from Piedmont, Mo., dazzled at Dwyer Stadium tonight.

Moss went seven innings -- the typical NY-Penn League starter is pulled after five innings -- and surrendered not a single hit, and of course, no runs.

The Muckdogs notched a 3-0 victory, with Jose Rada tossing two scoreless innings, giving up one hit, and picking up his second save of the season.

Moss (2-1) lowered his ERA to 1.69.

Joe Bergman, 22 and in his first pro season, picked up two hits. The second baseman is now hitting .394.

Catcher Luis Miguel De La Cruz, a fourth-year pro from the Dominican Republic, and in his second tour with Batavia, homered and picked up two RBIs on two hits.

The Muckdogs are now 6-7 and open a three-game series against Auburn, also 6-7, on Thursday.

There is no home game on July 4, but there will be fireworks following the games on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Batavia Muckdogs dropped its third straight game at Dwyer Stadium, losing to State College 4-2 in 10 innings.

Second-year pro Keith Butler, of Morgantown, Ky., surrendered two runs in the top of the 10th to get tagged with the loss.

Reliever Nick McCully was impressive in four innings, striking out three and giving up only two hits.

Meanwhile, the Cardinal's 5th-round draft pick, San Diegean Nick Longmire, continued his hot hitting. Today, Longmire had two hits, including a triple and a run scored that tied the game 2-2 in the 7th inning.

Longmire tops the league in several offensive categories, including hits (15), triples (3), home runs (3), RBI (16; next best is 9), total bases (33; next best, 23), slugging (.892). He's second in average at .405.

The Muckdogs, now 4-6 and in last place in the Pinckney Division, begins a three-game home series tomorrow against Mahoning Valley. Auburn leads the division at 5-4, only a 1.5 games ahead. Mahoning Valley comes to town with a 4-5 record.

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Muckdogs host Auburn. Friday and Saturday's games feature post-game fireworks. This no home game on Sunday, July 4, so the team is providing an extra fireworks show on Saturday.

Top photo: Longmire arrives at third base after his 7th inning triple.

More photos after the jump:

A grand slam home run in the 7th inning from Nick Longmire broke a 2-2 tie and powered the Batavia Muckdogs to a 6-3 victory over Mahoning Valley on Thursday.

It was Longmire's third HR of the season, giving him the league lead, and with 14 RBI over the first seven games, he's well ahead of any other player in that category as well.

The Muckdogs are in second place with a record of 4-3.

Jose Rada (1-1) threw three scoreless innings to pick up the win. Starter Kevin Siegrist went five innings and gave up two runs.

Left fielder Rainel Rosario had three hits.

Batavia faces off against Mahoning Valley again tonight, and then return home tomorrow to begin a five-game home stand. First up, State College. Game time Saturday is 7:05 p.m.