Tigers Earn Series Win, 10-3
NORWICH, CT - The Connecticut Tigers finished off the Batavia Muckdogs, affiliate of the Miami Marlins, 10-3 in the rubber game of a three-game series.
In the opening inning the Tigers pushed three runs across courtesy of three walks, a hit by pitch and two hits. Connecticut started the scoring with an RBI groundout from Blaise Salter, who picked up his 26th RBI of the year. Newcomer Franklin Navarro, in his first at-bat with Connecticut this season, delivered a two-out, two-run single to extend the lead to 3-0. The Tigers sent all nine men to the plate in the first inning.
Kyle Funkhouser pitched exceptionally well for the Tigers, pitching three innings and only allowing one baserunner via a walk. The walk was Funkhouser's first since back on July 2nd against Brooklyn. A stretch of 16 consecutive innings. Funkhouser struck out four batters in the stint and logged his fifth scoreless outing of the season.
Joey Havrilak and Blaise Salter padded the Tigers lead in the fourth inning with a pair of RBI singles, making it 5-0 Connecticut.
The Muckdogs inched their way back into the game with a run in the fifth and run in the sixth against Ryan Castellanos. Eric Gutierrez hit his second home run in the series in the sixth, a solo shot out to left field.
Sam Machonis grabbed one of those tallies back with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning. Machonis reached base all five time tonight (3-3, 2B, RBI, HBP).
Connecticut continued to add to the lead in the seventh inning. Joey Havrilak ripped an RBI single past the drawn-in infield and made it a 7-3 game. Havrilak reached in all six at-bats (4-4, 2B, 2BB, 2RBI). Daniel Pinero lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to pick up his 10th RBI of the year and give Connecticut another five-run advantage. Pinero singled in the first inning to extend his hit streak to 10 games.
Mark Ecker threw two scoreless innings out of the bullpen to close out the series for Connecticut. Nine of Ecker's 10 outings have been clean for the right-hander.
Connecticut kicks off their series with the Aberdeen IronBirds, affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.
The Connecticut Tigers are the New York-Penn League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and play a 76 game schedule that runs from mid-June through early September. 2016 season tickets, group tickets, mini plans, individual game tickets, and team merchandise are now on sale! The front office and ticket office is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and can be accessed in person or by calling 860-887-7962.