ValleyCats lose final game of series
July 22, 2004 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
Troy, NY- The Tri-City ValleyCats fell to the Staten Island Yankees by a 6-5 score in a 13 innnings in the conclusion of a three game series at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
The Yankees got to ValleyCats starter Raymar Diaz very early in the game. Leadoff man Justin Christian worked the count full and fouled off a ton of pitches. He deposited high breaking ball over the left-field wall for a 1-0 lead. Staten Island got the second run home when Grant Plumley singled and came around to score when Hector Zamora ripped a double. Staten Island cruised for the first few innings with a 2-0 lead.
The ValleyCats tied the game with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning. Mario Garza led off by reaching on an error and was erased on fielder's choice by Francisco Caraballo. He advanced to second a wild pitch by Jeffrey Marquez and was left stranded there when Kevin Vital struck out. Lou Santangelo hit a single to bring Caraballo home.
Lou responded by stealing second base. His path to home was made quite easy when Luke Barganier laced a ball into the gap in left-centerfield. He pulled up at third with a triple and tied the game at 2-2.
The Yankees scored two more runs in the fifth inning off Diaz and chased him from the game. Jeff Wigdahl came in and pitched four and one-thirds of scoreless baseball.
The ValleyCats tied the game at 4-4 when Mario Garza and Kevin Vital homered in the eighth inning. Garza's home run ended a streak of 13 consecutive outs the two teams traded. Staten Island went in order in inning six through eight.
The teams battled through extra innings. Eric Abreu kept Tri-City quiet for the ninth inning and scoreless 10th and 11th inning. In the 12th inning, the ValleyCats won it. Jonny Ash hit a one-out base hit to start things out. Ben Zobrist and Mario Garza walked to load the bases. Then Francisco Caraballo struck out. Kevin Vital hit a weak ground ball to third and Zamora thew him out at first base.
Staten Island scored two runs in the top of the 13th inning. Grant Plumley hit a fly ball to right field. Luke Barganier ran it down and had the ball drop off his glove. Plumley got on thanks to an error and came around to score. Staten Island would add another run in the inning. Both runs were charged to Chad Reineke and were unearned.
The ValleyCats made it interesting in the bottom of the 13th inning. Lou Santangelo singled, Luke Barganier singled, and Edgar Babilonia reached on an error by the shortstop Devi Mendez. Drew Sutton grounded out into a double play. Sanatangelo scored and Jonny Ash struck out to end the game.
The ValleyCats go to Oneonta to start a four game series in three days. The ValleyCats play in Oneonta Friday night and in Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame game on Saturday before going back to Damaschke Field for a doubleheader on Sunday night. 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 22, 2004
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