Strunc down in the Muck (Batavia 4, Valleycats 1)

In one of those unique paradoxes in baseball, the Batavia Muckdogs, the NY-Penn League affiliate of the Miami Marlins, one of the worst teams in the National League, visited the Tri-City Valleycats, whose parent club, the Houston Astros, are among the American League's elite, while the 'Cats are stuck in the Stedler Division basement, having lost four in a row entering today's Camp/Senior Day matinee at Bruno Stadium.

Kyle Serrano started for Tri-City, but went one inning, due to pitch count. For some reason, the scoreboard operator didn't bother with the new pitch count box that was added last month while the 'Cats were on the road. There have been some bugs with that so far, anyway, and on a hot day, maybe it made sense. Then again, Serrano left after one largely due to pitch count and the fact that he escaped a bases loaded jam. Jairo Lopez came on in the second, and escaped similar danger without a run scoring.

On the other side, Batavia's Edgar Martinez, no relation to the recent Hall of Fame inductee of the same name, held the 'Cats in check on just one hit through five innings. Just when it looked like the 'Cats' bats had awakened on Wednesday, they went back to sleep.

In the Batavia fifth, Lopez's gears came loose. Jack Strunc opened the frame with a double, and scored on a single by Troy Johnston. After a single by Andrew Turner, Harrison DiNicola doubled in two more, putting the Muckdogs up, 3-0. With one out, Lopez walked Dustin Skelton to force in another run, and that was the end of his day. Strunc, batting a second time in the inning, traded in his daisy a day and struck out to end the inning.

Tri-City finally got on the board in the home 6th, as C. J. Stubbs drove home Luis Guerrero with the last run of the game. Stubbs was subsequently caught stealing to end the frame, and the 'Cats could not muster another threat against the Batavia bullpen. The Muckdogs complete the sweep, 4-1, sending Tri-City to its 5th straight loss. Batavia leads the Pinckney Division, and it was easy to see why.

Tri-City hits the road to Western NY for a quick three game set vs. Auburn before returning home on Monday for a rematch with the Stedler Division-leading Lowell Spinners.