NYPL Tri-City ValleyCats

ValleyCats Head into All-Star Break with 2-0 Win over Lowell

August 16, 2015 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release


LOWELL, MA - After dropping the first game of the series 5-3 in a contest that began on Saturday, before getting suspended to Sunday due to weather, the Tri-City ValleyCats held the Lowell Spinners to one hit in a 2-0 victory at Edward A. LeLacheur Park, in Lowell, Massachusets.

The day started with the Spinners and ValleyCats resuming Saturday's contest with two outs and a runner on first, in the top of the fourth inning, and Lowell leading 4-0.

After the Spinners added a run in the bottom of the fourth, Tri-City right fielder Pat Porter put the 'Cats on the scoreboard with a solo home run to right field in the top of the fifth, before driving in another run with an RBI double in the top of the seventh.

The ValleyCats then attempted a rally in the top of the ninth, when Johnny Sewald drove home Cesar Carrasco with an RBI single to right field, leaving runners on first and third, with two outs.

Unfortunately, Lowell reliever Bobby Poyner retired Brooks Marlow to end the 'Cats threat, as the Spinners wrapped up a 5-3 victory. The win put them one half of a game ahead of the ValleyCats in first place in the New York-Penn League Stedler division, heading into the second game of the day.

Getting the start for the 'Cats in game two, which was a seven-inning affair, was right-hander Jose Luis Hernandez, who was making his debut for Tri-City after getting promoted from Rookie-Level Greeneville, on August 12.

The Mazatlan, Mexico native was given a 2-0 lead before he even stepped onto the mound, as Sewald led off the game with a single to right field. The then moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt, to third on a single by Aaron Mizell, and scored on an RBI single to center field by Bobby Wernes.

Two batters later, Kolbey Carpenter extended Tri-City's lead to 2-0, driving home Mizell with a line-drive single to left field.

The Spinners then started the bottom half of the first by putting runners on first and second on back-to-back walks by Hernandez. However, the new Tri-City starter induced a pop up by Spinners center fielder Andrew Benintendi, then got designated hitter Chad De La Guerra to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Hernandez kept that momentum going throughout the rest of his start, striking out a total of five batters in four scoreless and hitless frames. Following him was right-handed reliever Zac Grotz, who shut down the Spinners in order in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Grotz then gave way to fellow righty Harold Arauz, who worked around a two-out single by De La Guerra to toss a scoreless sixth frame.

That single by De La Guerra was the only base hit allowed by Tri-City in the entire game, as closer Jacob Dorris capped off a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh with a strikeout of Spinners catcher Austin Rye, to cement the 2-0 victory for the 'Cats, and earn his fifth save of the season, in the process.

Getting the win was Grotz (3-1), as Tri-City not only regained sole possession of first place in the Stedler Division, but also secured the advantage in any playoff tie-breaking scenarios with Lowell, due to the fact that the win gave the 'Cats a 6-5 season record against the Spinners, with no more regular season matchups remaining between the two teams.

Tri-City now heads into the 2015 New York-Penn League All-Star Break with a record of 30-25, and will be represented in the NYPL All-Star Game on Tuesday, in Aberdeen, Maryland, by Porter, and Wernes, left-handed pitcher Alex Winkelman, and first baseman Dexture McCall.

Following the All-Star Game, Tri-City will visit Burlington, Vermont, to take on the Vermont Lake Monsters on Wednesday, August 19, beginning a two-game series at Centennial Field. On the mound for the ValleyCats will be RHP Ryan Deemes (0-0, 3.27), with LHP Evan Manarino (3-1, 3.54) scheduled to get the start for the Lake Monsters.

Check out the Tri-City ValleyCats Statistics



New York-Penn League Stories from August 16, 2015


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