Vermont Salvages Final Game of Series
August 3, 2004 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release
TROY-The Vermont Expos put together a late-inning rally against the Tri-City ValleyCats to take the final game of the series 8-6 before 3,194 at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The ValleyCats won the first two games of the series.
Tri-City got a run to start off the scoring in the third inning. Edgar Babilonia singled and Luke Barganier drove him in with an RBI base hit in the bottom of the third inning.
Steve Mortimer gave Vermont a 2-1 lead when he hit a two-run homer off Ryan McKeller in the fourth inning. He hit the first home run over the centerfield wall for a 2-1 Vermont lead.
The ValleyCats quickly grabbed the lead back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kevin Vital singled to lead off the inning. Then Francisco Carballo clubbed a home run where Tri-City took back their lead at 3-2.
Ryan McKeller pitched five innings of two-run ball. He was relieved by the newest addition to the ValleyCats roster, Garrett Murdy. Murdy pitched two scoreless innings before yielding to Rodrigo Escobar in the eighth.
In the seventh inning, the ValleyCats pushed three runs across home plate against Vermont. Edgar Babilonia singled with one out, then Drew Sutton singled again to push Babilonia up to second base. Luke Barganier's single scored Babilonia and made it a 4-2 score. Hunter Pence then stepped up to the plate and lashed a two-run double that brought home Sutton and Barganier. The ValleyCats had a 6-2 lead going into the eighth inning.
The four run lead seemed secure with Rodrigo Escobar, one of the league's best relievers trotting in from the bullpen to start the eighth. He had given up only one earned run coming into play. Rodrigo only went a third of an inning. He started off by giving up a single to Ja'Mar Clanton. He moved up to second base when Ofilio Castro. Luke Montz responded by roping a three-run homer to bring the Expos within one at 6-5.
Steve Mortimer flew out and when Escobar gave up back-to-back singles, ValleyCats manager Gregg Langbehn did not hesitate to take him out of the game. Chad Reineke came into the game. He gave up a single to Marvin Lowrance that loaded the bases.
Jose Contreras hit a weak ground ball behind the bag at second base. Edgar Babilonia fielded the ball and went to step on the bag at second base for the force run. He was late in covering the bag and didn't record the out. Babilonia did catch Brad Ditter off of third base. He threw out Ditter and the fielder's choice run scored to tie the game at 6-6.
Doug Vroman then blooped a fly ball down the right-field line. Lowrance and Contreras scored to give Vermont an 8-6 lead.
The ValleyCats and Mahoning Valley Scrappers meet up for the first of a three game series at Niles, OH starting tomorrow night. The game can be heard in the Capital Region starting at 6:45 on AM 1160 WABY Mechanicville and AM 900 WUAM Saratoga Springs as well as on the Internet at sportsjuice.com.
New York-Penn League Stories from August 3, 2004
- Cyclones run circles around I-Birds - Aberdeen IronBirds
- Cards rout Yankees - New Jersey Cardinals
- Brooklyn Cyclones To Host Negro League Tribute - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Expos storm back in eighth to take 8-6 victory - Vermont Lake Monsters
- Vermont Salvages Final Game of Series - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Parisi promoted - New Jersey Cardinals
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