Ciriaco's Three RBIs and Walk-Off Single from Vala in 12th Lift Rock Cats

Published on May 30, 2015 under Eastern League (EL1)
New Britain Rock Cats News Release


New Britain, CT - The New Britain Rock Cats defeated the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in dramatic fashion on Saturday evening - a 6-5 walk-off victory in the bottom of the 12th inning.

2B Juan Ciriaco powered the Rock Cats offense throughout the evening - collecting a season-high three RBIs and SS Pat Valaika played the extra inning hero with a bases-loaded single off of RHP Dustin Antolin to score C Tom Murphy and send the home crowd home happy.

New Hampshire picked up where they left off from last night's 9-4 victory, highlighted by 14 hits against Rock Cats pitching. Fisher Cats 2B Jorge Flores led off the game with a double off of RHP Matt Flemer and crossed the plate two batters later on a CF Melky Mesa double.

The visitors picked up three more runs in the top of the second inning, increasing the lead to 4-0. The four-hit attack was highlighted by a two-run single by LF Ian Parmley, scoring both RF Matt Newman and C Pierce Rankin.

The Rock Cats started to mount the comeback in the bottom of the fourth. A walk and single from RF Tyler Massey set the stage for Ciriaco, who bounced a ball over RHP Taylor Cole's head, plating New Britain's first run of the evening. SS Pat Valaika chipped in with an opposite field single that scored Ciriaco, making it a 4-2 ballgame.

New Britain's comeback bid was completed in the bottom of the fifth inning, capped off by a two-run triple courtesy of Ciriaco, all coming with two outs. With 3B Trevor Story and DH Tom Murphy aboard, Massey cracked an RBI double down the right field line to bring the Cats' within one. The hot-hitting Ciriaco followed up with a wall-ball triple, scoring both Murphy and Massey, giving the Rock Cats their first lead of the night at 5-4.

Rock Cats reliever RHP Jose Ortega experienced some control issues in the top of the seventh inning, allowing the first two batters to walk, one runner erased with a caught stealing, and a single from Mesa. Ortega was lifted for RHP Carlos Estevez, who gave up a single to 1B K.C. Hobson, knotting the game up 5-5. New Hampshire had their sights set on taking the lead with bases loaded and just one out but that attempt was snuffed out thanks to a 3-2-3 double play to close out the inning.

New Britain was 90 feet away from walking off in the bottom of the ninth and tenth innings. Story hit a two-out triple off of RHP Blake McFarland before Murphy flew out to deep center and it was the Fisher Cats closer who induced a popout to second from 1B Will Swanner with runners on first and third to knock off the extra-inning rally.

McFarland gave way to RHP Dustin Antolin and the Eastern League veteran hurled a scoreless frame although Cuevas just missed an extra-base hit in the bottom of the eleventh had it not been for a phenomenal catch by Mesa out in deep center.

New Britain finally clinched the victory in the bottom of the twelfth on Valaika's single - his third hit of the night. Murphy led off the inning with an opposite field double and then was sacrificed over to third on a bunt by Massey. After Ciriaco legged out an infield single and Manager Bobby Meacham called for the intentional walk of C Jan Vazquez. With bases-loaded, Valaika lined a ball over the head of 2B Jorge Flores into shallow right-center to score Murphy and seal the win.

Flemer settled down after a couple of rocky innings to start the game. The right-hander retired twelve straight from the second to the sixth innings, giving the home club a fighting chance. He goes into the books as registering his seventh straight no-decision after working six innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits while walking one and striking out two.

LHP Jason Gurka was tremendous in relief for New Britain - hurling three scoreless innings and allowing just one hit while walking none and striking out four. RHP Gus Schlosser earns the win -for his scoreless inning of relief, improving his record to 7-3.

Antolin falls to 1-2 in the losing effort after going 1 1/3 inning, the fifth pitcher of the evening for New Hampshire.

LHP Ryan Carpenter gets the nod to start New Britain's final game of the homestand on Sunday afternoon. Former big-leaguer Joel Pineiro starts for the Fisher Cats during the matinee. First pitch is slated for 1:35 p.m.

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Eastern League Stories from May 30, 2015


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