FL Tri-City ValleyCats

Tri-City Completes the Comeback with Sudden Death Victory

Published on August 13, 2023 under Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release


TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats (47-30) came back from four different deficits to take their first sudden death victory of the 2023 season after defeating the New Jersey Jackals (47-29) 11-10 in 11 innings.

New Jersey opened the scoring, and loaded the bases in the first against Garrison Bryant after Martin Figueroa walked, James Nelson singled, and Keon Barnum singled. Alfredo Marte picked up an RBI single, and Josh Rehwaldt followed suit with a sac fly to give the Jackals a 2-0 lead.

Aaron Altherr singled off Dylan Castaneda in the second. Ian Walters was hit by a pitch. Jakob Goldfarb and Tanner Smith each had an RBI single to knot the game at 2-2.

Marte led off the third with a double, and Rehwaldt hit a two-run homer to pull New Jersey on top, 4-2.

Tri-City stormed back in the fourth. Goldfarb singled, and Smith cranked a two-run blast. His first professional homer tied the game, 4-4.

The Jackals tacked on two runs in the fifth. Ti'Quan Forbes had a one-out single. Alex Toral then doubled off Coleman Huntley. Rusber Estrada and Nijo Rijo had back-to-back RBI singles to provide New Jersey with a 6-4 advantage.

Altherr collected his second single of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Juan Kelly doubled in a run, and Smith had an RBI single to make it a 6-6 contest.

Bryant received a no-decision. He went 4.1 innings, yielding five runs on nine hits, walking three, and striking out two. Castaneda was also handed a no-decision. He pitched 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on 11 hits, waking one, and striking out three.

Forbes greeted Blake Workman with a double in the seventh. Toral knocked in Forbes with a single. Estrada had a base hit, and Nelson launched a three-run shot to pull the Jackals ahead, 10-6.

The ValleyCats rallied in the ninth. Dazon Cole walked Jaxon Hallmark. Oscar Campos singled, and Hallmark went to second. Altherr recorded his third hit of the day with an RBI single, and Campos advanced to third. Kelly walked to put a runner at every square base. Walters trimmed the deficit to one with a two-run single. Two batters later, Smith lifted a sac fly to make it a 10-10 affair. Smith joined Hallmark, Altherr, and Pat Adams as the only members of Tri-City this year with a five-plus RBI game.

Both teams ended their half of the 10th by hitting into a double play. In the top half of the frame, Figueroa was the ghost runner at second. Nelson hit an infield single off Greg Veliz, and Figueroa stayed put at second. Marte then lined out into a 4-6 double play. In the bottom of the inning, Pavin Parks was the automatic runner at second base. Hallmark moved Parks to third after grounding out. Tyler LaPorte walked Cito Culver, and Campos tried to lay down a bunt, but popped out into a 3-5 double play.

Tri-City opted to hit in the 11th. Connor Bagnieski replaced Campos as the free runner at first base. Bagnieski stole second. Altherr walked, and Walters sent the ValleyCats' faithful into a frenzy with a walk-off RBI single. It was the ValleyCats third walk-off of the 2023 campaign.

Veliz (5-1) earned the win. He tossed a scoreless inning, yielding one hit, and striking out one.

LaPorte (0-1) received the loss. He pitched two frames, giving up an unearned run on two hits, walking two, and striking out one.

Tri City goes for the series win tomorrow, Sunday, August 13, for the rubber game against New Jersey. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

FINAL (11) | TRI-CITY 11 | NEW JERSEY 10

W: Greg Veliz (5-1)

L: Tyler LaPorte (0-1)

Attendance: 3,072

Time of Game: 3:31

Check out the Tri-City ValleyCats Statistics



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