The Jamestown Jammers finished in a blaze of glory with wins in seven of their last nine New York-Pennsylvania League games, including the final four, the last of which eliminated the Batavia Muckdogs (44-32) from the playoffs.
Pitching was the major factor as the Jammers (35-40) blanked Batavia, 1-0, in the first game Wednesday and won the nightcap by a 3-2 score in the Pinckney Division.
Batavia had won nine in a row until losing the final three and were eliminated.
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The Post-Journal presented its plaques to the Jamestown Jammers most valuable player and most valuable pitcher between the games of Wednesday’s doubleheader. Above is most valuable player, Jesus Solorzano, who leads the Jammers in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, total bases and slugging percentage. His eight home runs ranks third in the NY-P League. The most valuable pitcher, reliever Nick Wittgren, was assigned to the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Aug. 15. However, he still leads the Jammers in saves with 11 and games finished with 15. His 11 saves still ranks third in the New York-Penn League.
P-J photo by Jim Riggs
The only run of the first game came in the sixth inning when Cody Keefer hit a leadoff double off Corey Baker (3-3). Jesus Solorzano was hit-by-a-pitch and Sharif Othman scored Keefer with a one-out single to right field.
Drew Steckenrider, Patrick Merkling and Jheyson Manzuetta combined for a three-hitter with five strikeouts and three walks. Merkling got his first win and Manzuetta recorded his third save.
Manzuetta worked the seventh and allowed a one-out walk to David Washington, but retired Bruce Caldwell on a fielder's choice and Casey Rasmus on a fly out.
In the second game, the Jammers scored all their runs in the first inning off Tim Cooney (3-3), who lasted just one inning.
Yefri Perez started it off with a walk followed by Keefer and Jesus Solorzano singling with Perez scoring. An infield out by Felix Munoz scored the second run, and a throwing error by shortstop Caldwell on Michael Vaughn's bouncer tallied the third run.
Sean Donatello, Beau Wright (4-4), Ryan Newell and Frankie Reed held Batavia to six hits, including Jacob Wilson's sixth home run off Newell to lead off the sixth to make it 3-2.
Reed recorded his third save by working the seventh and the only runner he allowed was on his error on leadoff batter Adam Lewis.
He fanned Matthew Young and Reggie Williams and got the final batter of the season, Ildemaro Vargas, to ground out to shortstop Rony Peralta to end the Jammers' season on a high note.