ValleyCats Complete Comeback in Extras
Published on August 5, 2023 under Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
PATERSON, NJ - The Tri-City ValleyCats (45-26) overcame a 5-0 deficit at the hands of the New Jersey Jackals (44-26), and won their first extra-inning game of the season by a score of 8-5 on Saturday at Hinchliffe Stadium. The victory provides the ValleyCats with a half-game lead over the Jackals for first place in the Frontier League East Division.
New Jersey utilized the long ball in a big fourth inning. Keon Barnum worked a walk off Dwayne Marshall, and James Nelson was hit by a pitch. Alfredo Marte, Alex Torel, and Rusber Estrada went back-to-back-to-back with three consecutive homers to put the Jackals on top, 5-0.
Tri-City chipped away in the fifth. Jakob Goldfarb singled off Dylan Castaneda. Ian Walters walked, and Goldfarb advanced to second. Jaxon Hallmark ripped an RBI single, and Walters moved to third. Cito Culver followed suit with an RBI single to make it a 5-2 affair.
The ValleyCats gave the Jackals a taste of their own medicine in the sixth. Goldfarb and Aaron Altherr went back-to-back with a pair of solo home runs to trim the deficit to 5-4. Goldfarb smashed the 100th homer of 2023 campaign for the 'Cats. Tri-City joined New Jersey as the second Frontier League team to reach the century mark this year. Goldfarb became the second player on the 2023 ValleyCats team to be a part of the 10-10 club (10+ homers and 10+ stolen bases). He now has 10 round-trippers and 24 stolen bases, while Culver has 10 long balls and 12 stolen bases. Altherr cranked his 10th big fly, and joined Culver, Goldfarb, and Carson McCusker as four players with the 'Cats to have double digit home runs this season.
Tri-City tied up the game 5-5 in the seventh. Yuichi Shiota walked Culver. Lamar Briggs reached on a fielder's choice, and replaced Culver at first base. Juan Kelly reached on a fielder's choice, and after an errant throw on a double play ball to Kevin Rolon, Kelly went to second, and Briggs came around to score.
Marshall received a no-decision. He tossed five frames, allowing five runs on six hits, walking five, and striking out six.
Castaneda was also handed a no-decision. He threw 5.2 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits, walking two, and striking out seven.
Both teams traded zeroes until the top of the 10th. Cody Whitten entered the game, and Kelly was the "ghost runner" on the second base. Kelly swiped third, and scored on an RBI single from Oscar Campos. Altherr collected his first multi-homer game of the year, swatting a two-run jack to pull Tri-City ahead, 8-5. Altherr is the seventh ValleyCat of the 2023 campaign to have a multi-homer effort.
Greg Veliz, Tyler Jeans, and Blake Workman combined for five scoreless innings in relief. The latter in Workman (2-0) earned the win. He did not issue a walk or a hit, and struck out two across two frames.
Whitten (1-2) was given the loss. He pitched an inning, allowing three runs, two earned on two hits, walking none, and striking out two.
Tri City goes for the series win in New Jersey tomorrow, Sunday, August 6. First pitch is at 4:35 PM.
FINAL | TRI-CITY 8 | NEW JERSEY 5
W: Blake Workman (2-0)
L: Cody Whitten (1-2)
Time of Game: 3:07
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