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NYPL Tri-City ValleyCats

Walk-Off Hit by Hernandez Caps 'Cats 3-2 Victory

August 12, 2014 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Tri-City ValleyCats News Release


TROY, NY - Alex Hernandez hit a pinch-hit single with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the tenth inning as the Tri-City ValleyCats walked off winners, 3-2, over the Hudson Valley Renegades on Tuesday night at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.

Hernandez, who was pinch-hitting for Jose Solano, slapped a 1-1 pitch from Hudson Valley reliever Justin McCalvin the opposite way into right field to score Mott Hyde from third. The game-winner came one inning after Jamie Ritchie tied the game at 2-2 with a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as Tri-City came from behind to topple the New York-Penn League's top team.

Although they played from behind for a majority of the game, Tri-City did get on the board first when center fielder Jason Martin hit an 0-2 pitch from Hudson Valley starter Chris Pike into the left field bullpen for his first career home run. The 18-year-old, who was playing in his third game with the 'Cats after getting promoted from Rookie-Level Greeneville on Sunday, has now homered, doubled, tripled and stolen a base in his short stint with Tri-City.

Unfortunately, the Renegades battled back to take the lead in the top of the third, when Alec Sole hit a two-run double to left-center field.

Hudson Valley maintained that 2-1 lead until Ritchie drilled a 1-1 fastball from McCalvin over the left-center field wall in the ninth. The home run, his first professional career long ball, sent the game into extra innings.

After Tri-City reliever Aaron Vaughn retired Renegades lead-off hitter Jace Conrad, the next two batters reached before right-hander Derick Velazquez entered the game and got the first batter he faced, clean up hitter Grant Kay, to ground into a double play to end the frame.

Hyde then walked to lead off the bottom of the tenth before first baseman Ariel Ovando doubled on a line drive to left field. McCalvin then intentionally walked Juan Santana to bring up Solano, who had entered the game as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth to replace Alex Presley, who is playing for Tri-City as part of a MLB Rehabilitation Assignment. Solano was then replaced by Hernandez, who drove home the winning run to give the ValleyCats their fifth walk-off victory of the 2014 campaign.

Earning the win for Tri-City was Velazquez (1-1), while right-hander Luis Ordosgoitti also contributed a stellar relief performance, striking out six batters in five and a third scoreless innings.

With the victory, the ValleyCats advanced to 39-19, tying the Renegades for the best record in the New York-Penn League, and advancing their lead in the Stedler Division to 7.5 games over the second-place Connecticut Tigers, who were rained out today in Staten Island.

Tri-City and Hudson Valley will face off on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the second game of this three-game series. On the mound for the ValleyCats will be RHP Robert Kahana (0-0 1.80), with RHP Hunter Wood (2-3, 3.02) getting the start for the Renegades.

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