With six players selected and five
participating in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game Tuesday night in
Troy, New York, the Batavia Muckdogs were key
contributors to the National League’s 4-3 comeback win.
In this recap, we will start at
the end and work our way back.
Cutler scores winning
run
With one run already in,
but his NL team still down by one and a runner ahead of him on the bases,
catcher Charles Cutler drew a walk with one out in the ninth inning. With two
down, game MVP and Tri-City third baseman David Flores doubled, enabling Cutler
to score the winning run in walk-off fashion.
Cutler was an injury
addition to the team and officially was 0-for-2 on the evening after coming in
the game as a reserve in the fifth inning, but I doubt he minded.
Reifer
wins
After having pitched a
scoreless top of the ninth, Muckdogs closer Adam Reifer was awarded the win when
his NL team came back to score three times in the bottom of the
frame.
Reifer, the league leader
in saves with 18, tossed a scoreless inning on one hit and two strikeouts. His
manager Darin Everson said Reifer's performance helped inspire the
victory.
"It was very dramatic,"
Everson told MiLB.com. "I was telling the other guys that having the energy of
Reifer throwing in the ninth inning, our dugout was kind of bubbling with energy
after watching him throw."
Youngster Parejo goes
deep
Batavia's Frederick Parejo was probably
the youngest player in the game, having just turned 18 last month. The
Venezuelan started the game in centerfield, batting seventh.
After grounding out in
the second, he put the first run of the night on the board in the bottom of the
fifth. Parejo slammed a first-pitch offering over the right-field fence to give
the National League a 1-0 lead they would hold until the seventh.
Parejo’s home run would
be the only long-ball of the game for either squad. In fact, home runs were a
rarity even in the Home Run Derby. The participants managed just five homers in
85 swings. No Batavia players were
involved.
Nieto tosses scoreless
inning
In contention for the
start, right-hander Arquimedes Nieto instead pitched the second inning for the
NL. He allowed one hit and struck out one in his scoreless frame.
Sedbrook led
off
Colt Sedbrook started at
second base and led off for the NL. He went 0-for-2, being retired on a ground
out and a pop out before leaving the game for a pinch-hitter in the
fifth.
Curtis injured, Peterson
DNP
Jermaine Curtis was named to the
team, but injured and out of action since August 7, he did not play. Outfielder
Shane Peterson was also selected as an All-Star, but did not appear in the
game.
On Thursday, the Muckdogs return
to New York-Penn League action. Riding a three-game winning streak, Mark
DeJohn’s club lead the Pinckney Division by a half game with 17 games to
go.
Brian Walton can be reached via
email at brwalton@earthlink.net
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