ValleyCats' Five Unanswered Runs Not Enough for Comeback
June 10, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
SAUGET, IL - The Tri-City ValleyCats (13-13) nearly overcame an 8-2 deficit, but ultimately fell 13-7 to the Gateway Grizzlies (19-6) on Saturday at Grizzlies Ballpark.
Gateway picked up a couple of runs in the second. Peter Zimmerman led off the frame with a single against Dwayne Marshall. Andrew Penner then walked. Jairus Richards reached on a 4-6 fielder's choice. Richards swiped second before D.J. Stewart lifted a sac fly. Alex Hernandez brought in Richards from second with a single to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead.
Tri-City plated a run in the third. Jaxon Hallmark doubled off Lukas Veinbergs, and went to third on a wild pitch. Cito Culver knocked in Hallmark with a single to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Gateway seemingly broke open the game in the bottom of the third. Gabe Holt singled, and advanced to third on an error from Ciaran Devenney. Eric Rivera walked and Clint Freeman poked an RBI double. Zimmerman drove in two runs with a single. Penner had a base hit, which brought Zimmerman to second. Richards moved both runners over after grounding out. Stewart collected his second RBI, this time with a single to pull the Grizzlies ahead, 6-1.
The ValleyCats clawed back in the fifth. Hallmark reached on an error from Stewart, and Culver advanced him to third with a single. Aaron Altherr hit a sac fly to make it a 6-2 ballgame.
Gateway extended its lead to 8-2 in the home half of the fifth. Aaron Ernst issued a walk to Penner, and then gave up a two-run jack to Richards.
Tri-City showed some life in the sixth. Trey Hair went to first on a walk. Jakob Goldfarb doubled, and Pavin Parks cranked his second homer of the season with a three-run jack to cut the deficit to 8-5.
The ValleyCats were within striking distance in the eighth. Hair began the frame with a single off Trevor Tietz. Pat Adams had a pinch-hit single before both runners went to second and third respectively on a wild pitch. Hair scored on a balk as Adams went to third. Devenney then walked. Colton Easterwood issued a single to Hallmark to trim the deficit to 8-7. Hallmark moved to second on a wild pitch. Tri-City was a base hit away from taking its first lead of the game, but could not plate the two ducks on the pond.
The Grizzlies opened the floodgates with a five-run eighth to take a 13-7 advantage. Holt worked a walk off Brac Warren, and stole second before Freeman was intentionally walked. Zimmerman had another RBI single. Penner followed suit with a two-run triple, and Richards capped the frame with his second homer of the night, this time a two-run blast.
Veinbergs (3-2) earned the win. He tossed 5.1 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, walking one, and striking out seven.
Marshall (3-1) received the loss. He pitched three frames, yielding six runs on seven hits, walking two, and striking out two.
After giving up the single to Hallmark, Easterwood struck out three of the next four batters he faced to toss 1.1 scoreless innings, and notch his fourth save of the season.
The ValleyCats will play the rubber game to conclude the three game road trip against the Grizzlies tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM EDT.
FINAL | GATEWAY 13 | TRI-CITY 7
W: Lukas Veinbergs (3-2)
L: Dwayne Marshall (3-1)
S: Colton Easterwood (4)
Time of Game: 3:02
Attendance: 2,567
BOX SCORE
Season Twenty-FUN of ValleyCats baseball and entertainment continues on the road as Tri-City takes on the Gateway Grizzlies in Sauget, Illinois from June 9-11. The ValleyCats return to "The Joe'' on Tuesday, June 13 for their second six-game homestand. The Lake Erie Crushers will play in Troy from June 13-15, and the Florence Y'alls make their first ever trip to "The Joe" with a three-game set from June 16-18. Meanwhile, the 518 Futures Game Classic will take place at "The Joe'' for the third time tomorrow, Sunday, June 11. The gates will open at 4 PM on Sunday as the best high schoolers in New York's Section 2 will have a Home Run Derby at 4:30 PM, and the 518 Futures Game at 6 PM. You can secure your seats today and be a part of the excitement by logging on to tcvalleycats.com or by calling 518-629-CATS (2287).
Frontier League Stories from June 10, 2023
- Grizzlies Roar Early, Late to Beat Tri-City - Gateway Grizzlies
- ValleyCats' Five Unanswered Runs Not Enough for Comeback - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Otters Fall to Boomers on Saturday Night - Evansville Otters
- Boomers Claim Sixth Consecutive Road Win - Schaumburg Boomers
- Wild Things Secure Seres Win with Good Pitching Performance - Washington Wild Things
- Wright Delivers Walk-Off Hit, Titans Take Series - Ottawa Titans
- Wild Things Secure Series Win North of the Border Behind Strong Pitching - Washington Wild Things
- Sixth Inning Surge - Lake Erie Crushers
- Y'alls Hold off Greys, Secure Series Victory - Florence Y'alls
- Bolts Creamed by Crushers 8-3 - Windy City ThunderBolts
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