ValleyCats Win Game One of a Six Game Homestand
August 21, 2004 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
TROY-The Tri-City ValleyCats beat the Lowell Spinners 3-2 thanks to the solid hitting of Brandon Averill and Ben Zobrist. Averill got the first hit of the game for the ValleyCats in the sixth inning and homered in the eighth inning. Ben Zobrist knocked home the game-winning run later in that frame.
The ValleyCats fell behind rather early because of a peculiar fifth inning. Ryan McKeller allowed just one hit while striking out five in the first four innings. In the fifth, he hit Salvador Paniagua to start off the inning. Jason Ramos laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Paniagua up to second base. Then Matt Van Der Bosch lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Paniagua moved up to third base.
Carlos De La Cruz stepped up to the plate and watched a McKeller pitch sail off his front foot. The ball got past the catcher Santangelo and Paniagua crossed home plate. The umpires called Paniagua back to third base and ruled a dead ball. De La Cruz was awarded first base. McKeller then hit John Otness to load the bases.
Drew Pinckney stepped up to the plate and hit a weak ground ball to Mario Garza. The ValleyCats first baseman bobbled the ball and flipped the ball over the head of McKeller, who was covering first base. Garza was charged with two errors, one on the bobble and one on the throw.
Paniagua and De La Cruz scored unearned runs for a 2-0 Spinners lead.
Anibal Sanchez was absolutely outstanding on the mound for Lowell. Sanchez, came off an outing in which he struck out nine Oneonta Tigers over five innings, struck out ten 'Cats hitters in six innings.
The ValleyCats were held hitless through the first five innings. Sanchez faced just one batter over the minimum in that time. In the sixth inning, Brandon Averill led off with a double. He went to second base on a past ball. Jonny Ash then blooped a single over the head off Drew Pinckney at second base. Averill scored and the lead was down to 2-1.
Tom Cochran relieved Anibal Sanchez and pitched a scoreless seventh inning. In the eighth, the ValleyCats got to him. Brandon Averill led off with a solo home run over the left-field wall. Then James Cooper smacked the first pitch he saw after the home run down the left-field line. He pulled up at second with a standup double.
Drew Sutton struck out and then Jonny Ash reached on an error by second baseman Drew Pinckney. Cooper went to third base and came home to score the go-ahead run on a Ben Zobrist single.
The ValleyCats and Spinners continue their series tomorrow night. Ronnie Martinez gets the ball for the ValleyCats, game time is set for 7:00, and the action can be heard beginning at 6:40 on AM 1160 WABY and AM 900 WUAM Saratoga Springs as well as on the Internet at sportsjuice.com.
New York-Penn League Stories from August 21, 2004
- Cards rally past Cyclones - New Jersey Cardinals
- ValleyCats Win Game One of a Six Game Homestand - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Vermont Expos Rained Out - Vermont Lake Monsters
- August 21st Renegades Game Postponed - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Cards buzz Crosscutters - New Jersey Cardinals
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