Ottawa Stuns Tri-City with Sudden Death Walk-Off Homer
July 20, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
OTTAWA, CANADA - The Tri-City ValleyCats (34-23) fell 9-7 in sudden death to the Ottawa Titans (28-29) on Thursday at Ottawa Stadium. Per the Frontier League rules, the home team can opt to hit or play defense. If the offense scores, they win, and if they do not push across a run, they lose. It was the second Sudden Death game of the season for the ValleyCats, and the second time they lost to the Titans in this extra-inning format.
Ottawa opened the scoring for the first time in the series. Evan Berkey greeted Elijah Gill with a double. Jamey Smart drove in a run with a single to give the Titans a 1-0 lead.
Tri-City responded in the third. Zac Westcott issued a walk to Connor Bagnieski and Lamar Briggs. John Mead hit an RBI single, and Briggs went to third. Pavin Parks reached on an RBI fielder's choice to put the ValleyCats on top, 2-1.
Tri-City extended its lead in the fourth. Ian Walters blasted his second solo homer in as many days. It was his sixth long ball of the year. Jaxon Hallmark singled, and moved to third after Bagnieski picked up his first hit in a 'Cats uniform. Briggs lifted a sac fly to pull the ValleyCats ahead, 4-1.
Ottawa cut the deficit to two runs in the bottom of the fourth. AJ Wright walked and David Mendham was hit by a pitch. Taylor Wright plated a run with a single to make it a 4-2 ballgame.
Gill received a no-decision. He tossed four frames, allowing two runs on four hits, walking five, and striking out two.
Tri-City once again made it a three-run affair in the fifth. Cito Culver singled, and Oscar Campos walked. Culver advanced to third on a wild pitch, and came around on a single from Hallmark to provide the ValleyCats with a 5-2 lead.
Westcott was also handed a no-decision. He pitched five innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, walking three, and striking out none.
Tri-City took its biggest lead of the game in the seventh. Culver opened the frame with a double off Nick MacDonald. Jakob Goldfarb grounded out, and Culver went to third. Campos knocked in a run by hitting a sac fly to pull the ValleyCats ahead, 6-2.
Ottawa retaliated with a four-run eighth. Brendan Bell walked Jason Dicochea, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Mendham then singled home Dicochea. Afterward, Taylor Wright walked before Austin Davis stroked an RBI single. Broc Mortenson knotted the game at 6-6 with a two-run double.
Goldfarb was the "ghost runner" in the 10th for Tri-City. The ValleyCats played some small ball as Goldfarb swiped third, and Walters drove him in with an RBI groundout off Trevor Clifton to take a 7-6 advantage.
Parks entered in relief in the bottom of the 10th. Mendham, the free runner, moved to third on a groundout from AJ Wright before coming around to score on a double from Taylor Wright to make it a 7-7 contest. Parks hit Davis with a pitch before escaping the jam by inducing a popout from Mortenson and a flyout from Jackie Urbaez.
Ottawa elected to hit, and Parks returned to the mound in the 11th. Urbaez was the "ghost runner" at first base. Mitsuki Fukoda bunted, and reached on a 2-6 fielder's choice. Dicochea launched a two-run jack to provide the Titans with a walk-off 9-7 victory.
Clifton (3-1) earned the win. He pitched a scoreless 10th. Clifton went an inning, yielding one run, none earned on no hits, walking none, and striking out two.
Parks (0-1) received the loss. He went 1.1 innings, allowing three runs, one earned on two hits, walking none, and striking out none.
Tri City returns to Joseph L. Bruno Stadium tomorrow, Friday, July 21 to take on the New York Boulders for the first time this year. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM.
FINAL (11) | OTTAWA 9 | TRI-CITY 7
W: Tyler Clifton (3-1)
L: Pavin Parks (0-1)
Time of Game: 3:15
Attendance: 1,237
Frontier League Stories from July 20, 2023
- Dicochea Delivers Walk-off in Sudden Death, Titans Defeat ValleyCats - Ottawa Titans
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- Watland, Quiggle Lead Otters to Shutout of Crushers - Evansville Otters
- Grizzlies Lose Late Lead, Get Swept by New York - Gateway Grizzlies
- Ottawa Stuns Tri-City with Sudden Death Walk-Off Homer - Tri-City ValleyCats
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