ValleyCats lose their first game of the year
Published on June 23, 2004 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
The ValleyCats fell 6-3 to the Brooklyn Cyclones in the home opener at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The 'Cats five game winning streak ends before a capacity crowd of 4,743 at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
Tri-City pitchers struck out 15 Cyclones hitters. The strikeout parade continues for the ValleyCats, who have 71 strikeouts in just six games.
The Cyclones scored early and often in a lead they would never relinquish. It started in the first inning, the Cyclones pushed across three runs against 'Cats pitching. The first four Cyclone batters got on base against ValleyCats starter Ronnie Martinez. Corey Coles singled, then Dante Brinkley walked. When Derron Watts singled that loaded the bases for Brooklyn. Then Cyclone first baseman Tyler Davidson poked a base hit into leftfield that plated Coles and Brinkley. Watts would advance to third on a fielding error by Lance Koenig and then scored when Kevin Rios hit a sacrifice fly to right field. It was 3-0 Cyclones after a half-inning.
Then Brooklyn jumped out to a 4-0 lead when Derron Watts belted a solo home run over the left field wall. Ronnie Martinez finished out the inning and ended giving up four runs on six hits while walking two and striking out seven Cyclones. In two outings this season, Martinez has 15 K's.
Bo Edmiston relived Martinez in the fifth and gave up a pair of runs. Watts walked in his first at-bat since hitting the home run, then proceeded to steal second before advancing to third on a single by Ambiorix Concepcion. Then Edmiston uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Watts to touch home plate. Concepcion would not stay on the bases for long. The next batter, Stacey Bennet, smacked a single driving home the Cyclones outfielder. It was 6-0 after four and a half innings.
The ValleyCats were held scoreless until the eight inning. Leadoff man Drew Sutton got on with a single and motored around to third base when Jonny Ash poked a double to left-centerfield. Sutton came to home plate when Ben Zobrist grounded out. That brought Mario Garza up to the plate and Garza earned his first RBI since Monday night in Oneonta when he hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield. That made it 6-2.
Then Francisco Caraballo stepped up to the plate and smacked a solo home run over the left field wall. The'Cats were within one at 6-3 when newest ValleyCat Brandon Averill struck out to the end the eight.
Colonie native Brooklyn Cyclone Kyle Brown got into the game in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement in leftfield. In his first at-bat in the ninth inning against Chad Reineke, Brown struck out.
Tri-City is now 5-1. Ronnie Martinez (1-1) gets the loss. 4, 743 saw the game at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The series continues tomorrow night. Evan Englebrook makes his second start of the season. Evan Maclane goes for Brooklyn.
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