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Tri-City ValleyCats

ValleyCats Win Rubber Game over Aigles, But Do Not Make the Playoffs

September 3, 2023 - Frontier League (FL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release


TROIS-RIVIÈRES, QUÉBEC, CANADA - The Tri-City ValleyCats (55-40) won their second straight slugfest over the Trois-Rivières Aigles (38-57) at Stade Quillorama, this time by a score of 11-9 on Sunday. The ValleyCats earned their 55th win in their final regular season game of the year, which set a team record for the most wins in a single-season in their 21-season history. Despite the 'Cats finishing with the same record as the Sussex County Miners, the latter won the season series 7-2, and thus won the tiebreaker to clinch the second wild card spot in the Frontier League East Division for a postseason berth.

Tri-City flexed its muscles in the first. Jakob Goldfarb and Aaron Altherr hit back-to-back solo homers off Braeden Allemann. It was Goldfarb's 18th long ball of the year, and he is now tied for fourth place on the ValleyCats' all-time single season home run list. Meanwhile, Altherr joined Brantley Bell (24, 2022), Brad Zunica (26, 2022), and Denis Phipps (33, 2022; 21, 2022) as the fourth player with the 'Cats to record a 20-plus homer campaign.

Trois-Rivières got on the board in the bottom of the first. Tyler Wilber, and Steve Brown singled off Garrison Bryant. Brendon Dadson hit an RBI double to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Tri-City extended its lead in the third. Cito Culver singled, and Tanner Smith replaced him at first after reaching on a fielder's choice. Goldfarb singled Smith to second, and Altherr doubled in a run to provide the ValleyCats with a 3-1 lead.

Trois-Rivières brought the game within one in the fourth. Bryan Leef hit a solo homer for the second consecutive day to make it a 3-2 affair.

Wilber walked in the fifth, and Dalton Combs singled him to second. Brown was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases. Dadson looped a two-run double to put the Aigles on top, 4-3. Tyler Jeans kept it a one-run game by striking out the next two batters to strand a pair of runners on base.

Bryant received a no-decision. He tossed 4.1 innings, yielding four runs on seven hits, walking four, and striking out two.

Oscar Campos tied the game with a solo shot in the sixth. Jaxon Hallmark hit a single back to Allemann, and proceeded to steal second. His 33rd stolen base of the year set a single-season record for the most thefts in the ValleyCats' 21-season history. Robbie Merced was then hit by a pitch. Culver plated Hallmark with a single; Culver and Merced went to second and third, respectively, on the throw. Smith lifted a sac fly to make it a 6-4 contest.

The Aigles tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth. Lolo Williams launched a solo homer off Coleman Huntley to trim the deficit to 6-5.

Tri-City opened the floodgates in the seventh. Altherr belted his second long ball of the day, this time against Frankie Giuliano. It was his 21st round-tripper of the 2023 campaign, and fourth multi-homer effort of the season. He also surpassed Bell with his 70th RBI of the year for the third-most in a single season from a ValleyCat. Juan Kelly singled, and Campos moved him to third with a single. Campos advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hallmark poked a two-run single, and went to second on an error from Combs. Merced greeted Brendan Bell with a double. Culver knocked in Merced with a single to give the 'Cats an 11-5 lead.

Brown singled off Aaron Ernst in the bottom of the seventh. Chris Fernandez pinch-ran for Brown, and Dadson walked. Ricardo Sanchez singled to put a runner at every square base. All three runners moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch. Austin Markmann brought in two with a single to make it an 11-8 game.

Wilber and Combs singled in the eighth. Fernandez reached on a fielder's choice, and Wilber was sent to third. Dadson lifted a sac fly to cut the deficit to 11-9. Fernandez stole second, and Leef was hit by a pitch. Leef and Fernandez advanced to second and third on a wild pitch before Veliz induced a flyout from Sanchez to keep the lead intact.

Parks entered in the ninth, and hit Markmann with a pitch. Williams singled, and Markmann went to second. Parks retired Scantlin on a lineout and Wilber on a flyout before walking Combs. Parks struck out Malik Williams to seal the final victory of the season, and picked up his fourth save of the year.

Jeans (2-1) earned the win. He threw 0.2 perfect innings, striking out two. Allemann (0-5) received the loss. He pitched six frames, giving up six runs on 10 hits, walking one, and striking out four.

FINAL | TRI-CITY 11 | TROIS-RIVIÈRES 9

W: Tyler Jeans (2-1)

L: Braeden Allemann (0-5)

S: Pavin Parks (4)

Attendance: 2,312

Time of Game: 3:07

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