ValleyCats Launch Two Homers to Take Middle Game
June 3, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats (10-10) powered past the Empire State Greys (6-13) with a 12-1 victory on Saturday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
The Greys opened the scoring in the first. Quentin Holmes singled off Andrew Edwards and stole second and third. Josh Spears brought him in with a sac fly to give Empire State a 1-0 lead.
Edwards received a no-decision in his second stint as an opener. He pitched 1.1 innings, giving up one run on two hits, walking three, and striking out none.
Ryan Sandberg picked up a no-decision after throwing four shutout innings for Empire State, giving up four hits, walking one, and striking out five.
The ValleyCats jumped on Wilber Perez in the fifth. Juan Montes led off the frame with a hit by pitch. He stole second, and Pavin Parks walked. Jaxon Hallmark singled in Montes, and Parks advanced to third. Cito Culver lifted a sac fly as the ValleyCats took their first lead of the game. Hallmark swiped second before Carson McCusker belted his sixth homer of the season to pull the 'Cats ahead, 4-1. McCusker now stands alone on the ValleyCats home run list for fourth-most all-time since joining the Frontier League in 2021, passing Brantley Bell with 25 long balls.
Tri-City blew the game open in the sixth. Parks worked his second walk of the game, this time off Dawson Young. Hallmark also received a free pass. Culver hit a bloop single, both runs came across, and the ValleyCats took a 6-1 lead.
Carson Ferry issued a one-out walk to McCusker in the seventh. Ferry hit Zach Biermann with a pitch, and walked Aaron Altherr and Jakob Goldfarb before he was taken out. Montes greeted Jhoendri Herrera with an RBI knock that dropped between three fielders. Parks then had a sac fly to put the ValleyCats on top, 9-1.
Tri-City took advantage of the free passes in the eighth. Culver and Austin Elder walked. Biermann reached on a 6-4 fielder's choice. Afterward, Altherr cranked his second homer of the season, and his first big fly at "The Joe" to make it a 12-1 game.
Elliot Carney, Greg Veliz, Brac Warren, and Parks combined for 7.2 scoreless frames in relief. Veliz (2-1) earned the win. He hurled two shutout frames, giving up one hit and one walk, while striking out one.
Perez (2-1) received the loss. He tossed an inning, giving up four runs on two hits, walking two, and striking out one.
Tri-City returns tomorrow, Sunday, June 4 at "The Joe" to conclude a three-game set with the Empire State. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 PM.
FINAL | TRI-CITY 12 | EMPIRE STATE 1
W: Greg Veliz (2-1)
L: Wilber Perez (2-1)
Time of Game: 3:23
Attendance: 2,087
Season Twenty-FUN of ValleyCats baseball and entertainment continues at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Tomorrow, it will be National Cheese Day, and another Sunday FunDay at the ballpark presented by Highmark Blue Shield by Northeastern New York. Before Sunday's game, the ValleyCats players will be reading children's stories to kids, and fans can have a catch on the field. 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 3, 2023
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