ValleyCats Narrowly Hang Onto Series Opener Victory
June 30, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
TROY, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats (25-18) improved to a season-high seven games above .500 after defeating the New Jersey Jackals (27-14) on Friday by a score of 4-3 to open a three-game series at Hinchliffe Stadium.
Both teams were held scoreless through the first two innings before Tri-City got on the board in the third. Jakob Goldfarb doubled off John Baker. Goldfarb swiped third for his 13th consecutive steal to begin the 2023 campaign. Jaxon Hallmark plated a run with a groundout to provide the ValleyCats with a 1-0 lead.
Tri-City took advantage of a pair of free passes in the fourth. Robbie Merced and Pavin Park walked. Ian Walters picked up a single, and Merced was thrown out at the plate by Alfredo Marte. Goldfarb followed suit with a three-run blast to put the ValleyCats on top, 4-0. All of Goldfarb's seven homers have come in the last 10 games, and he has 21 RBI during that span.
New Jersey responded in the bottom of the fourth. Garrison Bryant issued a walk to Rusber Estrada. Alex Torel grounded out, and Estrada went to second. Nilo Rijo advanced Estrada to third with a single. Rijo stole second, and Estrada came home on a throwing error from Cale Jones to cut the deficit to 4-1.
The Jackals tacked on another run in the fifth. James Nelson doubled, and Keon Barnum singled him to third. Estrada lifted a sac fly to make it a 4-2 game.
New Jersey nearly pulled ahead in the seventh. Elliot Carney allowed a walk to Phillip Ervin, and Barnum. Greg Veliz gave up a walk to Josh Rehwaldt to put a runner at each square base. Estrada collected his second sac fly of the night to trim the deficit to 4-3. Veliz hit Marte with a pitch, but induced a groundout from Torel to get out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam.
The Jackals had a chance to strike in the eighth. Rijo singled off Coleman Huntley, and was replaced at first base after Ti'Quan Forbes reached on a fielder's choice. Ervin singled before Huntley struck out Nelson, and turned the ball over to Reymin Guduan. Despite Forbes swiping third, Guduan struck out Barnum, and followed suit by striking out the side in order in the ninth to nail his fifth save of the season.
Bryant (2-3) earned the win in a bounce back start. He hurled five frames, yielding two runs, one earned on eight hits, walking three, and striking out three.
Baker (2-4) received the loss. He tossed six innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, walking three, and striking out seven.
Tri-City continues its three-game weekend road trip in New Jersey tomorrow, Saturday, July 1. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM.
FINAL | TRI-CITY 4 | NEW JERSEY 3
W: Garrison Bryant (2-3)
L: John Baker (2-4)
S: Reymin Guduan (5)
Time of Game: 3:02
Season Twenty-FUN of ValleyCats baseball and entertainment continues on Saturday, July 1 at Hinchliffe Stadium with the middle game of a three-game set against the New Jersey Jackals. Tri-City returns to Joe Bruno on July 4 to open a three-game series against the Empire State Greys. To honor Independence Day, there will be a Fourth of July celebration and postgame fireworks. 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).
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