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CT Tigers Rally But Fall Short in Extras at Auburn, 8-7

July 28, 2018 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Norwich Sea Unicorns News Release


AUBURN, N.Y. - Wenceel Perez led the Connecticut Tigers (19-20) with four hits and three RBIs including a go-ahead single in the top of the eleventh but the Auburn Doubledays (21-18) earned their first walkoff win of the season, 8-7, with a bases-loaded single from Pablo O'Connor in the bottom of the eleventh on Saturday night at Falcon Park.

Leading 7-6 in the eleventh with Auburn runners at first and third, Connecticut intentionally walked the bases loaded. Dylan Stock (Loss, 2-1) issued a game-tying walk to Jacob Rhinesmith and O'Connor followed with the game-winning single to left field that scored Cole Daily from third. Daily led the Doubledays with four runs.

Perez plated Connecticut's tie-breaking runner from second base in the top of the eleventh on a groundball to left field that gave the Tigers a 7-6 lead. The 18-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic matched the most hits by a Connecticut batter this season and recorded his best offensive game since going 5-for-7 at the plate on July 10 with Gulf Coast League Tigers West.

Rhinesmith led all hitters with five RBIs on Saturday, including a game-tying, two-run triple to the wall in center field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 6-6 and deny a first professional win for Tigers closer Yaya Chentouf. Both teams went scoreless in the tenth inning as the Tigers stranded runners at second and third before the Doubledays failed to advance their runner from second.

Reece Hampton sparked a Connecticut comeback with his first home run as a pro. The 22-year-old outfielder from Charlotte, North Carolina cranked a solo shot to right-center field that cut the Auburn lead to 4-3 in the seventh. The Tigers tagged three doubles in a row to lead off the eighth, including RBIs from Cam Warner and Gresuan Silverio. Two batters later, Clark Brinkman gave the Tigers a 6-4 lead on an RBI single.

Connecticut and Auburn traded runs back and forth in a three-hour, 34-minute slugfest. Perez opened with the first of his four singles on a two-run base hit in the second frame that gave Connecticut a 2-0 lead. The Doubledays hit back with four runs in a row against Tigers starter Adam Wolf and reliever Mitchell Stalsberg, who allowed two unearned runs and dropped his team-best earned run average to 0.93 in 19 1/3 innings this season. In the sixth, Drew Crosby pitched a shutout frame to push his scoreless streak to 7 2/3 innings.

On Sunday, the Tigers try to avoid a three-game sweep in their final meeting with the Doubledays this season. Connecticut right-handed starter Jose Vasquez (3-1, 2.73) throws against Auburn righty Francys Peguero (2-2, 3.03) with first pitch at 2 p.m. Coverage on the Norwich Courtyard by Marriott Connecticut Tigers Radio Network begins with Kevin Gehl at 1:50 p.m. on WICH 1310 AM across Connecticut and online at CTTigers.com via TuneIn Radio.

The Connecticut Tigers are the New York-Penn League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut. Individual tickets for all 2018 home games, season memberships to "The Club," ticket mini-plans, and Tigers team merchandise are now on sale at Dodd Stadium, over the phone at 860-887-7962, and online at CTTigers.com.

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