TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Tri-City ValleyCats (36-24) scored five unanswered runs to take a 5-2 victory against the New York Boulders (34-24) in the rubber game on Sunday to remain undefeated in series play at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium this year.
New York opened the scoring for the second straight game. Chris Kwitzer greeted Dan Beebe with a double. Pat Kivlehan brought in Kwitzer with a single to give the Boulders a 1-0 lead.
Tri-City squandered a couple of run-scoring opportunities early in the game. Alex Mack issued a single to Cito Culver, a walk to Jakob Goldfarb, and a hit to Oscar Campos to load the bases. Mack retired Ian Walters on a strikeout, and Lamar Briggs lined out to end the threat. Goldfarb was hit by a pitch in the third, and Campos walked before Briggs had a two-out walk to load the bases. Jaxon Hallmark struck out, and the ‘Cats would not have another runner in scoring position until the seventh.
Mack received a no-decision. He tossed four scoreless frames, giving up two hits, walking four, hitting two batters, and striking out five.
Pavin Parks picked up a double off Aaron Dona in the seventh, the first hit for Tri-City since the first inning. Culver moved Parks to third with a single. Goldfarb then hit a bouncing ball to first base, Kwitzer threw the ball to the catcher Joe DeLuca to catch Parks in a rundown. DeLuca airmailed the ball past the third baseman Thomas Walraven, and Parks came around to score. Goldfarb moved to second, and Culver advanced to third on the same play. Oscar Campos laced a two-run double. Ian Walters followed suit with a two-run blast. The seventh long ball of the season for Walters provided the ValleyCats with a 5-1 lead.
The Boulders tacked on a run in the eighth. Kwitzer doubled off Greg Veliz, and Gabriel Garcia had an RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-2. Afterward, Coleman Huntley entered and pitched 1.2 scoreless innings to collect his third save of the year, allowing one hit, and striking out three.
Beebe (4-1) twirled seven innings of one-run ball, yielding five hits, walking none, and striking out six.
Dona (4-2) received the loss. He tossed 2.1 innings, allowing five runs on four hits, walking none, and striking out three.
Tri City has a day off tomorrow before returning to Joe Bruno on Tuesday, July 25, and begins a three-game series with the Joliet Slammers in their first visit to New York’s Capital Region. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM.
