Tri-City Offense Strands 11 on Base as Pitching Issues 10 Runs in Defeat
July 8, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
OTTAWA, CANADA - The Tri-City ValleyCats (30-20) dropped the middle game 10-7 to the Ottawa Titans (24-26) on Saturday at Ottawa Stadium.
Ottawa got on the board in the second. Sicnarf Loopstok doubled off Dwayne Marshall. Taylor Wright homered to pull the Titans ahead, 2-0.
Ottawa doubled its lead in the third. AJ Wright and Taylor Wright both singled. Evan Berkey reached on an error from Pavin Parks, and AJ Wright came around to score. Broc Mortensen delivered an RBI single to give the Titans a 4-0 advantage.
Tri-City responded in the fourth. Ian Walters doubled off Damon Casetta-Stubbs. Walters advanced to third after Zach Biermann grounded out. Lamar Briggs brought in Walters with a single. Parks moved Briggs to third with a single. On the same play, Briggs came around to score after an error from Casetta-Stubbs to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Ottawa retaliated in the bottom of the fourth. Jamey Smart walked, and went to second on a single from Loopstok. Afterward, AJ Wright and Taylor Wright each had an RBI single. Mortensen picked up an RBI single off Brac Warren to put the Titans on top, 7-2.
The ValleyCats continued to show life in the fifth. Jaxon Hallmark began the frame with the first inside-the-park homer from Tri-City this season. It was Hallmark's seventh roundtripper this year. Aaron Altherr then singled, and advanced to third on a double from Walters. The former scored on a wild pitch as Walters went to third. Chris Burica entered, and issued a walk to Robbie Merced. Biermann brought in Walters with an RBI groundout to make it a 7-5 affair. Afterward, Briggs was intentionally walked. Briggs and Merced stole second and third, respectively, but Burica struck out Parks to exit the frame.
Casetta-Stubbs received a no-decision. He pitched 4.1 innings, allowing five runs, four earned on nine hits, walking one, and striking out five.
Ottawa extended its lead back to four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Jackie Urbaez doubled, and Jason Dicochea homered to provide the Titans with a 9-5 lead.
Tri-City loaded the bases in the sixth thanks to singles from Cito Culver, Hallmark, and Altherr all off Nick MacDonald. Walters had an RBI groundout to trim the deficit to 9-6 before MacDonald induced an inning-ending groundout from Merced.
Ottawa picked up an insurance run in the eighth. AJ Wright homered off Elliot Carney to pull the Titans ahead, 10-6.
The ValleyCats had the game-tying run on deck in the ninth. Walters collected his third double against Trevor Clifton. Merced then walked before Biermann had another productive groundout, moving the two baserunners up 90 feet. Briggs had an RBI groundout of his own to make it a 10-7 contest. Clifton then struck out Parks to seal the win for Ottawa.
Burica (3-2) earned the win. He threw 0.2 scoreless, hitless innings, walking two, and striking out one.
Marshall (5-2) was handed the loss. He pitched 3.1 innings, yielding seven runs, five earned on 10 hits, walking three, and striking out one.
Tri-City concludes its three-game series in Ottawa, tomorrow, Sunday, July 9. First pitch is scheduled for 1 PM.
FINAL | OTTAWA 10 | TRI-CITY 7
W: Chris Burica (3-2)
L: Dwayne Marshall (5-2)
Time of Game: 2:54
Attendance: 1,684
Frontier League Stories from July 8, 2023
- Pitching Dominates as Crushers March Past Boomers - Lake Erie Crushers
- Green Spurs Otters' Comeback Over ThunderBolts - Evansville Otters
- Otters Rinse Windy City 8-6 - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Walraven Powers Boulders to 16-2 Win Over Y'alls - New York Boulders
- Boulders Homer Three Times, Straddle Y'alls with 7-4 Loss - New York Boulders
- Titans Slug Past ValleyCats - Ottawa Titans
- Y'alls Lose Series, Tenth Consecutive Game - Florence Y'alls
- Wild Things Drop Middle Game Despite Late Fight - Washington Wild Things
- Boomers Edged by Lake Erie - Schaumburg Boomers
- Grizzlies Edged by Slammers - Gateway Grizzlies
- Tri-City Offense Strands 11 on Base as Pitching Issues 10 Runs in Defeat - Tri-City ValleyCats
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.
