'Cats Defeat Cyclones with Franchise Record 18 Runs
Published on August 7, 2016 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
TROY - The Tri-City ValleyCats poured on a franchise record 18 runs Sunday evening in an 18-4 victory over the Brooklyn Cyclones in front of 4,249 at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The 'Cats picked up a game on Lowell, who lost to Staten Island, and now sit just one game out of first place in the Stedler Division.
Of the 'Cats 17 hits, only two went for extra bases. Every starter scored a run, eight registered a hit and seven finished with at least one run batted in.
It was a rough day for Brooklyn starter Erik Manoah (L, 5-2), who was knocked around for eight runs in the first inning. He pitched to two more batters in the second, both of whom came around to score after he exited the game.
The eight run frame kicked off with all nine runners reaching base. Rodrigo Ayarza led off with a single and Miguelangel Sierra was hit by pitch. Brauly Mejia singled to score Ayarza, and Chuckie Robinson plated Sierra with an RBI single of his own. Taylor Jones earned a free pass, loading the bases for Ronnie Dawson, who knocked in Mejia with a base hit. That left the bases loaded for Spencer Johnson, who ripped a bases-clearing double (5) to left field, to drive in three of his five runs on the night.
With the bases empty, Bryan De La Cruz and Alex DeGoti reached on back-to-back walks, and Miguelangel Sierra singled to left field, scoring De La Cruz. Mejia followed with another hit, scoring DeGoti to give the ValleyCats an 8-0 lead.
Brooklyn (24-25) scored twice in the top of the second off of Kevin Hill. Peter Alonso doubled to lead off the inning, and came around to score on an Ayarza error at third. Gene Cone, who reached on a single, came in to score on a sacrifice fly from Dan Rizzie.
The 'Cats (28-21) came roaring back in the bottom of the second with five more runs to give themselves a 13-2 lead, and batted around for the second consecutive inning. Taylor Jones singled and Dawson walked, prompting Brooklyn manager Tom Gamboa to pull Manoah in favor of Dillon Becker. Becker walked Spencer Johnson, and got De La Cruz and Ayarza on force outs, both of which allowed Jones and Dawson to score, respectively. With Sierra at the plate, a Becker wild pitch allowed De La Cruz to come home.
Sierra and Mejia walked, and Gamboa went back to his bullpen, bringing in Adam Atkins to replace Becker. Chuckie Robinson welcomed him to the ValleyCats hit parade with a base hit, plating Ayarza and Sierra.
Ryan Hartman (2-0) earned his second win of the season, tossing three innings of relief for Tri-City, striking out two.
Neither team scored in the third or fourth, but Spencer Johnson's fourth home run of the season, a 399 foot blast to left field in the fifth inning, gave the 'Cats a 15-2 lead.
The Cyclones added another run in the sixth. Alonso smacked his second double of the game, and came around to score on Nick Sergakis' RBI single, to make it a 15-3 ballgame.
Tri-City extended the lead over Brooklyn with three more runs in the bottom the seventh. Kevin Martir, who came in as a defensive substitution for Robinson, ripped a line drive single to lead off the frame. Jones and Dawson followed with back-to-back singles, scoring Martir. De La Cruz singled after Johnson walked, and Jones scored to make it 17-4. Ayarza knocked in the final ValleyCats run of the game on a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Dawson.
Righty Tyler Britton pitched a clean seventh and eighth for the 'Cats, before allowing an unearned Brooklyn run to score in the top of the ninth. Britton, pitching to the final 11 batters, picked up his first professional save.
Taylor Jones finished 2-3 with three walks and four runs scored, and Ronnie Dawson added three hits, two RBI and three runs of his own.
The 'Cats host Brooklyn in the series finale tomorrow night, August 8, at 7:00 p.m. Southpaw Austin Nicely (5-1, 5.13) will take the hill in the final game of the season between the two teams.
New York-Penn League Stories from August 7, 2016
- Spikes Top Lake Monsters, 11-2, as Martinez Hits Inside-The-Park Homer - State College Spikes
- State College Wins Second Straight At Vermont 11-2 - Vermont Lake Monsters
- 'Cats Defeat Cyclones with Franchise Record 18 Runs - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Valleycats Erupt, Run Away With 18-4 Win - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Renegades Win with Walk-Off - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Scrappers Fall on Walk Off Sac Fly - Mahoning Valley Scrappers
- Doubledays Win Third Straight Game - Auburn Doubledays
- West Virginia Defeats Williamsport 9-1 - West Virginia Black Bears
- Cyclones Drop Second Straight, Lose 4-1 - Brooklyn Cyclones
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