BROOKLYN, NY - Todd Privett would turn in a sparkling six-inning performance giving up an earned run on two hits, but the Cyclones offense wouldn’t be able to provide him with the runs he needed to win, thanks in part to three errors and three Jon Sanchez strikeouts with runners in scoring position, contributing to a 6-1 loss to the Batavia Muckdogs.

Coming into tonight’s game with a 3.18 ERA through three starts so far this season, Privett would get the start for Brooklyn and despite throwing a perfect inning in the first, would run into trouble in the second and third, surrendering a solo bomb off the bat of Gus Milner and a Zach Penprase sacrifice fly, giving Batavia an early 2-0 lead.

Luckily for Brooklyn however, Privett would eventually get into a rhythm and would keep Batavia’s bats quiet through the rest of his outing, giving up only two hits through six innings.

"I felt good," said Privett. "My stuff was working out there."

After getting three shutout innings from starter Edgar Garcia, who was scheduled to pitch yesterday’s game before getting stranded in Staten Island, the Muckdogs decided to bring in another starter, Darren Byrd in long relief. Byrd wouldn’t fare as well as Garcia, but still managed to keep Brooklyn scoreless. Giving up hits to both Ivan Naccarata and Jason Jacobs with only one out, Byrd would then strike out Jon Sanchez and Jake Eigsti on 3-2 off-speed pitches, ruining a golden opportunity for the Cyclones to tie the game.

Despite giving up a Luis Rivera single and stolen base in the fifth, Byrd would continue to keep the Mets Single-A Affiliate scoreless into the sixth. After walking Jacobs, Byrd would benefit from Jacobs being caught stealing and would strike out Sanchez again to end the inning.

2006 NY-Penn League All Star Jeremy Mizell would replace Privett in the seventh and wouldn’t be able to get out of a bases loaded jam, walking Penprase to bring another run home, putting the Cyclones down 3-0. The Muckdogs wouldn’t be finished adding to their lead in the seventh however, as Brian Capps would single two more runs home, giving Batavia a five-run lead. All three runs scored during the inning would go unearned after a Jon Schemmel error and Mizell intentionally walked Timothy Kennelly to get to create a force play on any base with one out.

Mizell would continue to pitch the eighth for Brooklyn, getting Batavia in order, while Muckdogs reliever Mark Kelly, who replaced Byrd in the seventh, would give up a Joe Holden single before walking Dustin Martin and Ivan Naccarata and would be replaced by Kevin Salmon with one out and the bases loaded for Jacobs.

Jacobs would then hit into a fielders choice, but Holden would wind up scoring Brooklyn’s first run of the game with two outs, giving Sanchez another opportunity to bring the Cyclones back into the game with a three-run homer. Sanchez however, would continue to look horrible at the plate in what has been an atrocious season offensively thus far, striking out for the fourth time in the game.

"When I was looking for fastballs, in fastball counts, they were throwing me breaking balls," said Sanchez. "I didn’t feel comfortable. It was like I didn’t want to hit. I had a bad day."

Jose De La Torre would come in the ninth with the Cyclones down 5-1 and wouldn’t be able to shut down the Muckdogs offensive attack. Giving up a leadoff double to Jay Miller, De La Torre would then throw a wild pitch to the next batter, Phillip Cuevas, giving up a run and extending Batavia’s lead to 6-1.

Salmon would continue to pitch for the Muckdogs in the ninth and would get the Cyclones in order, effectively ending their three-game winning streak and forcing the Mets Single-A Affiliate to come back and win tomorrow’s game in order to take the three-game series.

While the loss doesn’t hurt the Cyclones in the standings, Privett felt his performance on the mound today was definitely one that was worthy of a victory. However, the young left-hander understands that pitching well enough to win doesn’t necessarily mean one by the end of the game.

"It happens," said Privett. "The hitting is not always going to be there."

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