Doubledays walk off in extras, 6-5 over Batavia

AUBURN, N.Y. - The Auburn Doubledays (3-1) came back from one run down in the bottom of the 11th to defeat the Batavia Muckdogs (1-3) in extra innings, 6-5 on Thursday night at Leo Pinckney Field at Falcon Park in Auburn. Catcher Craig Manuel, who entered the game in the top of the 10th, had the game-winning hit in his only at bat of the game.

Manuel hit a single up the middle with one out in the 11th to drive home SS Stephen Perez from third base for the winning run. Earlier in the inning it was Perez's single to right that plated LF Jordan Poole for the tying run. Poole had led off the inning with a double to left.

The Muckdogs took their first lead of the game in the top of the 11th when SS Anthony Melchionda led off the inning with a double of his own, and then two batters later LF Steve Ramos brought him home from third with a double to left. In total Batavia had four doubles on the night and five of their 11 hits went for extra bases.

The Muckdogs got on the board first in this one in the top of the second thanks to an RBI double from 1B David Washington. Auburn quickly answered in the bottom of the inning thanks to a big two-run double from 3B Carlos Lopez. Lopez was then brought home from second by Perez, who singled to right to drive him home and put the Doubledays ahead 3-1.

Back-to-back run producing singles in the top of the fourth by Batavia knotted the score at three, and that's how it stood until the sixth when a fielding error by Melchionda allowed Lopez to score from second to put Auburn ahead 4-3.

The Muckdogs sent the game into extra innings by tying the game in the eighth on a two out solo shot by CF Mathew Young. It was off of Doubledays RHP David Fischer, giving him his first blown save of the season. RHP Jose Almarante (0-1) of Batavia also got charged with a blown save, and got tagged with the loss.

Getting the win for Auburn was RHP Cody Davis (1-0), who pitched the final three innings allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out five. RHP Pedro Encarnacion started the game for the Doubledays, lasting 4.1 innings and surrendering three runs (one earned) on five hits.

The Doubledays next head to Williamsport, PA for a three game series with the Williamsport Crosscutters. In the first game of the series Friday night the Doubledays will send RHP Jason Smith (1-0) to the mound. He will square off against LHP Delvin Perez (0-0) for the Crosscutters. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm. All Doubledays road games can be heard on WAUB 98.1FM and 1590AM, and online at www.fingerlakesdailynews.com by clicking on the WAUB stream under the "listen" tab.