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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 11, 2018 Media Contact: Kevin Gehl - kevin@cttigers.com, (925) 548-2726 No Chance for Batavia as Kirby Strikes Out 12 2018 Detroit Tigers 25th-round draft pick allows one hit in six-inning Connecticut debut NORWICH, Ct. - Right-handed starter Chance Kirby (Win, 1-0) struck out 12 batters in his New York-Penn League debut with six scoreless innings to pick up his first professional win as a starter for the Connecticut Tigers (12-13) in a 3-1 victory over the Batavia Muckdogs (11-13) at Dodd Stadium on Wednesday night. Kirby, selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 25th round of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft, pitched in a Connecticut uniform for the first time and struck out six of the first eight Muckdogs he faced. Luke Jarvis tallied the only hit against Kirby on a two-out single in the third. The 22-year-old University of Texas at San Antonio alum struck out the side in the fourth and fifth. He faced one more batter than the minimum through six innings and left in line for the win after throwing 77 pitches. With 12 strikeouts in six innings, Kirby eclipsed the previous Tigers season high of 12 strikeouts in seven innings by starter Gio Arriera in a July 4 home loss to the Lowell Spinners. On Wednesday, Tigers pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts, just one shy of their season-high 16 combined strikeouts on July 4. In his second game with the Tigers, first baseman Nick Ames recorded his first Connecticut hit on a solo home run to right field in the second inning against Humberto Mejia (Loss, 1-3). Ames added a double in the third and scored his second run on a two-out, two-run double by Darwin Alvarado that also scored Eric De La Rosa from first base and gave Connecticut a 3-0 lead. Ames finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two extra-base hits. Alvarado went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and Shane Cooper reached base a team-best four times with two singles and two walks. Batavia avoided a shutout with a two-out, RBI double by J.D. Osborne in the seventh inning against Tigers reliever Drew Crosby (Hold, 3), who bounced back to fan two Muckdogs in the eight. Crosby handed a 3-1 lead to closer Yaya Chentouf (Save, 4), who remained perfect in save opportunities by pitching a one-hit ninth inning. Following their tenth win in the last 13 games, the Tigers meet the Muckdogs again on Throwback Thursday at Dodd Stadium in retro Norwich Navigators uniforms. Right-handed starter Carlos Guzman (1-1, 3.60) will throw the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. Fans can enjoy Thirsty Thursday beer specials with select domestic drafts starting at just two dollars each. The Connecticut Tigers are the New York-Penn League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut. Individual tickets for all 2018 home games, season memberships to “The Club,” ticket mini-plans, and Tigers team merchandise are now on sale at Dodd Stadium, over the phone at 860-887-7962, and online at CTTigers.com. BOX SCORE: https://www.milb.com/gameday/muckdogs-vs-tigers/2018/07/11/551665#game_state=final,game_tab=boxscore,game=551665