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Victoria HabourCats

HarbourCats Prevail in Dandy Game

July 27, 2016 - West Coast League (WCL)
Victoria HabourCats News Release


Victoria, BC - Riley Guntrip and Tommy Jew both had a pair of hits to lead the Victoria HarbourCats to a 3-0 win over the Walla Walla Sweets in West Coast League (WCL) action Tuesday night in front of 1,498 fans at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria.

The game, which evolved as a tight pitcher's duel between Victoria's Will McAffer and Walla Walla's Bobby Ay, was just as close as the second-half standings in the WCL North Division, that heading into Tuesday, saw the Sweets, HarbourCats, Bellingham Bells and Kelowna Falcons all tied for first with identical 8-7 records.

McAffer and Ay both cruised through three scoreless innings each, before the HarbourCats would break through with the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth when Riley Guntrip and Ryan Anderson reached on one-out and two-out singles respectively. Tommy Jew then slapped an infield single deep to the hole at second, but Walla Walla second baseman Jarren Duran, who made a great play to keep the ball out of right field, overthrew first base, allowing Guntrip to score to give the 'Cats the lead.

That run looked to be the only run that the HarbourCats would need, as McAffer, who suffered a tough no decision last Thursday after no-hitting Bellingham and holding 3-0 lead through seven, only to see the 'Cats eventually lose 8-3 in extra innings, was sharp again Tuesday, holding the Sweets to no runs and five scattered hits over 6.1 innings of work, striking out four in the process.

McAffer would turn the ball over in the top of the seventh, surprisingly, to normal centre fielder Matt Lautz with a runner on first and one-out. Much to the surprise of the Sweets bench and the ire of Sweets head coach Frank Mutz, Lautz would induce an inning ending double play on a close call at first that sent Mutz on to the field to protest the call with first base umpire Will Hunter.

That would set the stage for closer Greg Casper, who after keeping Walla Walla scoreless with just a harmless single in the eighth, saw the 'Cats score two big insurance runs off reliever Dylan Suppan in the bottom of the frame, thanks to a pair of Sweets' errors and a clutch two-out, two-RBI, bases-loaded single from Jew that scored Guntrip and PJ Floyd, upping the lead to 3-0.

Casper then closed it out in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts to end the game and give the 'Cats the win, their 32nd of the season, and their second shut-out in as many games, having blanked Corvallis 5-0 on Monday.

The win now puts the HarbourCats in a tie with Kelowna, also winners Tuesday, for top spot in the North with 9-7 second-half records. The 'Cats 32-11 record is still best overall, with Yakima next at 27-18. The Sweets fall to 8-8 and 23-20 overall.

McAffer gets the win to move to 5-2 on the season and lowering his ERA to 2.28. Ay, who went six complete, allowing seven hits and no earned runs, takes the tough loss to fall to 1-2. Casper picks up his fifth save of the season.

Victoria and Walla Walla continue their three-game set Wednesday night with a 6:35 pm start and the conclude the home stand with a 1:05 pm matinee on Thursday. Cameron Schneider will start Wednesday for the 'Cats while Josh Mitchell gets the nod on Thursday.

Wednesday's night is Blue Jays Night, with special prizes to be won.

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