ValleyCats drop fifth in a row
July 19, 2004 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
Auburn, NY- The Tri-City ValleyCats have dropped five in a row after an 8-6 loss to the Doubledays at Falcon Park. Tri-City lost the three games to Auburn by a combined five runs. The ValleyCats become the fifth team Auburn has swept this season.
The game started out as a slugfest with five runs being scored in the first inning. The ValleyCats struck first with a two run home run. Ben Zobrist was leading off second base thanks to a double and came around to score when Garza powered a towering fly ball over the left-field wall. The blast came against the best pitcher in the NY-Penn. League, Mike MacDonald. He came into the game with an ERA of 1.08.
Auburn quickly got three runs back in the bottom of the frame. Aaron Matthews and Ryan Klosterman each got on with singles off of ValleyCats starter Andrew Alvarado. Vinny Esposito grounded out and Brian Hall walked to load the bases. Curtis Thigpen responded with a double that brought two men home. Hunter Pence played the double in centerfield and tried to get Thigpen out at second base. He threw wildly past the second baseman Drew Sutton. The errant throw went well past third base. Nobody was backing up the throw and Hall scored on the throwing error. It was 3-2 Doubledays after just one inning.
After the two-run first inning, ValleyCats hitters had a tough time against Mike MacDonald. They would not get another hit off the Maine native until the sixth inning. Minus the first inning, MacDonald gave up just five base runners the entire evening.
David Hicks a solo home run off of Alvarado in the fifth inning. Paul Estrada relieved Alvarado in the next inning and gave up a leadoff home run to Brian Hall. Estrada would give up another run in that frame and Jeff Wigdahl struggled by giving up two runs in the seventh. It was 8-3 in favor of Auburn when the ValleyCats came to bat in the eighth inning.
Kristian Bell came into the game to relieve MacDonald. Sutton walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He came around to score when Zobrist blooped a double down the left-field line. Mario Garza struck out and Hunter Pence hit a single that advanced Zobrist to third base. Francisco Caraballo stepped up to the plate. Bell unleashed a wild pitch that allowed Zobrist to score. The ValleyCats were within three at 8-5. Bell worked the count to 2-2 on Caraballo before Auburn skipper Dennis Holmberg came to the mound to take out Bell in favor of closer Dewon Day. He threw one pitch to Francisco and got a called third strike to finish the inning.
Day came out to pitch the ninth inning. Kevin Vital led off with a single, then Koenig popped out. Chris Clark, batting for James Cooper struck out, then Drew Sutton hit a groundball to Ryan Klosterman. The Doubledays shortstop let the ball slip through his legs. Two runners were on for Jonny Ash. He hit a single past Klosterman to plate Zobrist and cut the lead down to two at 8-6. Ben Zobrist worked the count full and drew a walk to load the bases.
Mario Garza grounded out to second base to end the game. The ValleyCats left the bases loaded in the ninth inning.
Tri-City is back at home tomorrow night to open a three game series against the Staten Island Yankees. Ronnie Martinez makes the start for the ValleyCats. Game time is 7:05. The game can be heard in the Capital Region on AM 1160 WABY Mechanicville and AM 900 WUAM Saratoga Springs as well as on the internet at sportsjuice.com.
New York-Penn League Stories from July 19, 2004
- Vermont beaten out by one run - Vermont Lake Monsters
- IronBirds sputter against New Jersey - Aberdeen IronBirds
- ValleyCats drop fifth in a row - Tri-City ValleyCats
- King of Baseball Roland Hemond to be Honored at the Renegades - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Parisi named pitcher of the week - New Jersey Cardinals
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