NYPL Tri-City ValleyCats

'Cats Improve Chances of Home Field Advantage with 4-1 Win

August 31, 2014 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release


BURLINGTON, VT - The Tri-City ValleyCats started their final two-game set of the regular season with a victory, defeating the Vermont Lake Monsters 4-1 at Centennial Field, on Sunday night, improving their chances of securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs. .

After dropping eight of nine games from August 17-27, with five of those losses coming against the Lake Monsters, the ValleyCats extended their current winning streak to four games with this victory in Vermont. The win created the sixth occasion this season that Tri-City has won at least four consecutive games.

The host Lake Monsters were able to get on the scoreboard first, when Vermont left fielder Max Kuhn drove home J.P. Sportman in the bottom of the first inning.

However, Tri-City tied the game un the top of the third frame, when second baseman Alex Hernandez drove home shortstop Kristian Trompiz with a single, after Trompiz led off the inning with a double.

Two innings later, ValleyCats left fielder Terrell Joyce hit a 2-2 pitch from Lake Monsters starting pitcher A.J. Burke over the left field fence for his team-leading 11th home run of the season, giving Tri-City a 2-1 lead in the process.

The 'Cats added two more runs in the top of the eighth frame, when third baseman Nick Tanielu drove home Hernandez with a double, then scored on a RBI single by right fielder Jose Solano.

Those runs batted in gave Tri-City a 4-1 advantage, which was more than enough to support a ValleyCats pitching staff that saw Randall Fant, Francis Ramirez, Aaron Vaughn and Derick Velazquez combined to allow only five hits and no runs over the final eight innings.

Earning the win for the 'Cats was Fant (2-3), while Velazquez pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save of the year.

Leading the way offensively for Tri-City was Trompiz. The 18-year old infielder finished 2-4 with two doubles. After also going 2-4 this past Wednesday in his New York-Penn League debut, the native of Maracaibo, Venezuela has now posted multi-hit performances with at least one double in each of his first two starts for the 'Cats.

With the victory, Tri-City will enter the final day of the 2014 regular season at 47-28, tied for the best record in the NYPL. Since the 'Cats won two of three games earlier this season against the State College Spikes, while going 4-2 versus the Hudson Valley Renegades, they own the tiebreaker against both of those two teams shall there be a tie in the standings at the end of the regular season slate. As a result, the ValleyCats will clinch home field advantage throughout the post-season with a win on Monday night, regardless of how any other team performs.

RHP Austin Chrismon (6-3, 3.80), Tri-City's opening night starter back on June 13th, will get the start for the ValleyCats in Monday's season finale. On the mound for the host Lake Monsters will be LHP Jerad Grundy (4-6, 4.11).

Check out the Tri-City ValleyCats Statistics



New York-Penn League Stories from August 31, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central