ValleyCats Rally Falls Short in Series Opener
May 23, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
CRESTWOOD, IL - The Tri-City ValleyCats (4-6) nearly came back from a 7-0 deficit, but ultimately fell 7-6 to the Windy City ThunderBolts (4-5) on Tuesday at Ozinga Field.
Windy City broke the game open in the second. Junior Martina reached on an error from Pavin Parks. Micah Yonamine then stroked an RBI double off Garrison Bryant. Peyton Issacson drove in Yonamine with a single. Carson Matthews picked up a base hit before Matt Morgan doubled in a run. Jordan Hovey collected an RBI single, and another run came around after a fielding error from Juan Montes. Jake Boone lifted an RBI two-bagger. Bren Spillane walked before him and Boone executed a double steal. Martina capped the frame with an RBI groundout to put the ThunderBolts on top, 7-0.
The ValleyCats got on the board in the seventh thanks to a solo homer from Carson McCusker off Henry Omaña to cut the deficit to 7-1. It was McCusker's second long ball of the season, and he extended his team-high hit streak to seven games. Omaña (3-0) earned the win after hurling 6.2 innings, giving up one run on five hits, walking none, and striking out 12.
Despite a 40-pitch second inning and being handed the loss, Bryant (0-1) salvaged the bullpen with some length. He tossed six innings, allowing seven runs, five earned on eight hits, walking one, and striking out four on 87 pitches. Bryant and relievers Elliot Carney and Greg Veliz combined to retire 20 of the last 22 Windy City hitters, including the last 13 batters that stepped up to the plate.
Tri-City stormed back in the eighth. Josh Broughton picked up an infield single to open the frame off Jared Freilich. Broughton has hit safely in each of his last six games. Jakob Goldfarb reached on a hit by pitch. McCusker ripped a two-run double to record his sixth multi-hit game of the season. Trey Hair plated McCusker with a single off Adrien Reese. Jaxon Hallmark went to first on a hit by pitch. Two batters later, Juan Montes laced a two-run double off Daiveyon Whittle to make it a 7-6 ballgame. Montes stole third, but was stranded there to end the frame.
The ValleyCats had another opportunity to complete the comeback in the ninth. Goldfarb had a one-out single and stole second. McCusker worked a two-out walk before Whittle picked up his first save of the year by striking out the side. Whittle tossed 1.1 scoreless innings, yielding two hits, walking one, and striking out four.
The ValleyCats will continue their road trip against the Windy City ThunderBolts tomorrow, Wednesday, May 24. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 a.m EDT.
Season Twenty-FUN of ValleyCats baseball and entertainment continues as they are in the midst of a six game road trip with a three-game series at Windy City against the ThunderBolts (May 23-25), and ending with a three-game series at Washington against the Wild Things (May 26-28). The ValleyCats return to Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on Tuesday, May 30 for a six-game homestand with three games against the Trois-Riviéres Aigles (May 30 - June 1), and three games against the Empire State Greys (June 2-4). 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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