An Improbable Rally Catapults the ValleyCats to First Place
July 28, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
AVON, OH - The Tri-City ValleyCats (40-24) stunned the Lake Erie Crushers (27-37) with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory on Friday at Mercy Health Stadium after trailing by two runs with two outs in the ninth. Tri-City becomes the first team in the Frontier League to 40 wins. After the Québec Capitales fell 12-2 to the Gateway Grizzlies, the ValleyCats claimed sole possession of first place in the Frontier League East Division for the first time since May 13 - the second game of the year.
Tri-City got on the board in the first. Matt Mulhearn issued a walk to Cito Culver, and a double to Jakob Goldfarb. Juan Kelly picked up an RBI groundout to give the ValleyCats a 1-0 lead.
Lake Erie took advantage of the free passes in the first. Andrew Dietz issued a walk to Jiandido Tromp and Zach Racusin. Both baserunners advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. Todd Issacs Jr. lifted a sac fly, and Racusin went to third. Jack Harris then hit an RBI single. Kemuel Thomas-Rivera singled and Josh Rego walked to load the bases. John Tucillo had an RBI hit by pitch, and Sam Frontino followed suit with an RBI walk to pull the Crushers ahead, 4-1.
Dietz received a no-decision. He tossed 2.1 innings, allowing five runs on five hits, walking four, and striking out three.
Tri-City cut the deficit to two as Pavin Parks lifted a solo homer in the third. It was his eighth long ball of the year. Lake Erie responded in the home half of the third as Rego blasted a solo homer to extend the Crushers lead to 5-2.
Kelly ripped the ValleyCats second homer of the day in the sixth to make it a 5-3 affair. It was his fifth home run of the season, second with Tri-City.
Mulhearn was handed a no-decision. He twirled seven frames, giving up three runs on four hits, walking two, and striking out three.
Tri-City rallied off Alexis Rivero in the ninth. Oscar Campos greeted him with a single. ValleyCats' manager Pete Incaviglia boldly put Blake Workman in as a pinch-runner. Lamar Briggs moved Workman to third with a two-out single. Tanner Smith plated both runners with a game-tying double. Jaxon Hallmark hit an infield single, and Smith made a mad dash for home. After Hallmark was safe at first, Rego threw a dart to the catcher Tucillo, who dropped the ball, allowing Smith to score the go-ahead run, and provide the 'Cats with a 6-5 lead.
Coleman Huntley ran into some trouble in the bottom of the ninth. Before he could record an out, the Crushers loaded the bases after Racusin doubled, and Scout Knotts walked and Harris walked. Huntley snared a line drive from Thomas-Rivera, and doubled up Rascusin at third. Rego tapped a weakly hit grounder to Culver, who glove-flipped the ball to Kelly at first base. Despite a headfirst dive, Rego was retired for the final out.
Huntley collected his fourth save of the year. Huntley (1.0 IP) along with three other relievers in Tyler Jeans (2.2 IP), Caden O'Brien (2.0 IP), and Pavin Parks (1.0 IP) combined for 6.2 scoreless frames to seal the victory. Parks (1-1) earned the win. He went an inning, yielding no runs, one hit, walking none, and striking one.
Rivero (0-2) received the loss. He threw an innings, yielding three runs, two earned on four hits, walking one, and striking out two.
Tri City goes for the series victory in Lake Erie tomorrow, Saturday, July 29. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM.
FINAL | TRI-CITY 6 | LAKE ERIE 5
W: Pavin Parks (1-1)
L: Alexis Rivero (0-2)
Time of Game: 2:40
Attendance: 2,687
Frontier League Stories from July 28, 2023
- Crushers Drop Heartbreaker at Home - Lake Erie Crushers
- An Improbable Rally Catapults the ValleyCats to First Place - Tri-City ValleyCats
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