'Cats Bats Stay Hot, Defeat Tigers 11-4
September 5, 2015 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
TROY, NY - Johnny Sewald went 2-for-4 with a home run, double, three runs scored, and three runs batted in, as the Tri-City ValleyCats defeated the Connecticut Tigers 11-4 on Saturday night, at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
The Las Vegas, Nev., native got the 'Cats offense started early, leading off the bottom of the first inning by smacking a 1-1 pitch from Tigers right-hander Sandy Baez over the right field wall for his first professional homer.
Tri-City went on to add two more runs that frame, as Brooks Marlow scored on a Connecticut error, and Bobby Wernes came home on a RBI single by Dexture McCall, as the ValleyCats took a 3-0 lead into the second inning.
After the Tigers scored one run each in the second, third, and sixth innings, Tri-City broke the game open by scoring three times in the bottom of the sixth.
With two outs in that frame, Keach Ballard got the 'Cats rally started by reaching on a wild pitch third strike. He then advanced to second on a walk to Sewald, moved to third on another wild pitch, and scored when Aaron Mizell got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
One batter later, Wernes earned an RBI by walking with the bases loaded, scoring Marlow, before the 'Cats added one last run in the bottom of the sixth, when Marlow came home on a ground ball by Alexander Melendez that was misplayed by the Tigers first baseman.
The 'Cats scoring did not stop in the sixth inning, however, as Sewald added a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh, that was followed by a RBI single by Marlow, and a two-run double by Wernes, as Tri-City increased their lead to 11-3, after seven frames.
After Connecticut scored once in the top of the eighth, ValleyCats right-hander Zac Grotz retired five of the last six Tigers batters of the game, as Tri-City completed an 11-4 win, advancing their record to 41-32.
Getting the victory for the 'Cats was left-hander Matt Bower, who struck out three batters in three innings of relief.
Offensively, Sewald was not alone in having a big day at the plate, as Marlow (2-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and one run batted in), Wernes (2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and three runs batted in), McCall (2-for-2 with a run batted in), and Ballard (2-for-5 with two runs scored) also had multi-hit nights.
With the win, Tri-City clinched the second seed in the New York-Penn League playoffs. As a result, they will face the winner of the McNamara Division, which after Saturday's games, is led by Staten Island, who holds a 39-34 record. The Aberdeen IronBirds finished the day a half-game behind the Yankees, with a 39-35 record, while the Hudson Valley Renegades stood in third place, at 38-36.
The ValleyCats and Tigers will face off at 5 p.m., on Sunday, in the second game of this three-game set. Getting the start for Tri-City will be LHP Alex Winkelman (5-0, 3.58), while RHP Jordan Smith (2-1, 1.86) will be on the mound for Connecticut.
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