ValleyCats fall on the road
July 5, 2004 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
Augusta, NJ- The ValleyCats got behind 5-2 but fought back to get within one run before suffering a 5-4 tough luck loss to the New Jersey Cardinals. The ValleyCats are now 13-5 and still lead the Stedler Division of the New York-Penn. League by three and a half games over the Oneonta Tigers.
In the first inning the ValleyCats plated two runs off of Cardinals starter Donnie Smith. Drew Sutton extended his hitting streak to fourteen games with a leadoff single. He went to third on a Jonny Ash double so there were two runners in scoring position for Ben Zobrist. The Illinois native struck out but Kevin Vital singled and brought home both men on base. The score was 2-0 before Raymar Diaz and the ValleyCats even took the field.
It didn't take New Jersey long to get back the two runs. Sean Dobson led off with a single, then came around to score on a triple by Chris Patrick. Patrick then scored when Casey Grimm grounded out to second base. It was 2-2 before the second out was recorded.
New Jersey took the game over in the third inning. With one out, Chris Patrick smacked a line drive off of ValleyCats third baseman Jonny Ash. After Patrick reached on Ash's error, Casey Grimm flew out. Then Jake Mullinax singled off of Diaz. Two men were on base for Steve Sherman, who hit a towering fly ball over the leftfield wall to put New Jersey ahead 5-2.
In the fourth inning, the ValleyCats got within three when Francisco Caraballo led off the inning with a double. Lou Santangelo struck out. Luke Barganier stepped up to the plate and delivered a groundout that moved Barganier up to third base. Then Edgar Babilonia stepped up and delivered an RBI single to plate Caraballo to make the score 5-3.
Ben Zobrist put the 'Cats within one at 5-4 when he hammered a home run over the right field wall in the fifth inning. Zobrist powered a high fastball over three tiers of signs at Skylands Park, a shot that was at least fifty feet over the right field wall.
The ValleyCats would not get any closer. Three Cardinals pitchers combined to shut down Tri-City after the fifth inning. After the Zobrist home run, the ValleyCats got just one hit, a single by Zobrist in his next at-bat in the seventh inning.
The series continues tomorrow night in game two of a three game set. Ryan McKeller will get the nod for the ValleyCats. Michael Parisi will oppose him for the Cardinals. Game time is set for 7:15 from Skylands Park. The game can be heard on 1160 WABY and 900 WUAM as well as on the Internet at sportsjuice.com.
New York-Penn League Stories from July 5, 2004
- ValleyCats fall on the road - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Cards beat Cats - New Jersey Cardinals
- Reimers pitches past Tribe - Aberdeen IronBirds
- Expos tripped up by Mahoning Valley - Vermont Lake Monsters
- Big bats join Cards - New Jersey Cardinals
- Mullinax named Player of the Week - New Jersey Cardinals
- Cutters and Altoona Reach Agreement - Williamsport Crosscutters
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.
