Altherr Drills Two Homers in Loss
Published on August 26, 2023 under Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
POMONA, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats (53-35) were defeated 8-6 by the New York Boulders (51-37) on Saturday at Clover Stadium.
New York opened the scoring in the first. Austin Dennis and Tucker Nathans singled off Angelo Baez before Pat Kivlehan belted a three-run homer to give the Boulders a 3-0 lead.
Tri-City responded in the second. Juan Kelly, Aaron Altherr, and Tanner Smith each picked up a single off Andy Hammond to load the bases with nobody out. Jaxon Hallmark lifted a sac fly to cut the deficit to 3-1.
The 'Cats tacked on a pair of runs in the third. Kelly walked, and Altherr went yard to make it a 3-3 game.
New York retook the lead in the bottom of the third. Nathans singled before Kivlehan and Chris Kwitzer walked to put a runner at every square base. David Vinsky plated two runs with a single to provide the Boulders with a 5-3 advantage.
Hammond received a no-decision. He tossed 3.1 innings, giving up three runs on five hits, walking three, and striking out one.
Altherr went deep in the fifth off Aaron Dona to make it a 5-4 affair. It was his second multi-homer effort of the month, and the first two-homer day since a road game victory on August 5 against the New Jersey Jackals. Altherr's 16th long ball of the 2023 campaign ties him with Jakob Goldfarb for the most home runs among active ValleyCats' players (they are both one round-tripper away from sharing the team lead with Carson McCusker).
Tri-City pulled ahead in the sixth. Hallmark had a leadoff single, and advanced to third after an errant pickoff throw from Dona. Connor Bagnieski walked, and proceeded to steal second base. Cito Culver laced a two-run double to put the ValleyCats on top, 6-5.
Baez was handed a no-decision. He threw three frames, allowing five runs on six hits, walking two, and striking out three.
New York retaliated in the bottom of the sixth. Vinsky singled off Dwayne Marshall, and stole second. Joe DeLuca then walked, and Gabriel Garcia ripped a two-run double of his own to give the Boulders a 7-6 lead.
New York added an insurance run in the eighth. DeLuca singled off Caden O'Brien, and Tyler Jeans entered the game. Garcia singled, and DeLuca moved to second before taking an extra base on a fielding error from Hallmark. Dennis collected an infield RBI single to make it a 8-6 contest.
Even though the 'Cats pitching struggled on Saturday, the offense had several opportunities to complete the comeback. Tri-City did not drive in a run with a runner on third with one out in the first, and the ValleyCats were unable to score again in the second with the bases loaded and one out. Tri-City also did not bring in a run in the fourth, despite having runners on first and second with one out, and a runner on second with one out in the sixth. Afterward, in the final 3.2 innings, the 'Cats had only one more baserunner.
Dona (6-3) earned the win. He pitched 3.2 innings, giving up three runs on three hits, walking two, and striking out five.
Marshall (7-4) received the loss. He went 2.2 innings, yielding two runs on two hits, walking one, and striking out two.
Dylan Smith collected his 16th save of the season. He tossed a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit, no walks, and striking out two.
Tri-City plays the rubber game in New York tomorrow, Sunday, August 27. First pitch is scheduled for 5 PM.
FINAL | NEW YORK 8 | TRI-CITY 6
W: Aaron Dona (6-3)
L: Dwayne Marshall (7-4)
Attendance: 4,062
Time of Game: 3:19
Season Twenty-FUN of ValleyCats baseball and entertainment continues tomorrow with the conclusion of a three-game weekend series in Pomona, NY against the New York Boulders. Tri-City then returns to Joe Bruno for its last three regular-season home games against the Sussex County Miners starting on Tuesday, August 29. You can secure your seats today and be a part of the excitement by logging on to tcvalleycats.com or by calling 518-629-CATS (2287).
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