Ironbirds walk off vs. ValleyCats again

Tri-City rallies from early hole but falls 5-4

ABERDEEN, MD. » The Tri-City ValleyCats suffered their second straight loss to the Aberdeen IronBirds, after T.J. Nichting laid down a two-out bunt single with the bases loaded to score the walk-off 5-4 victory Sunday night.

It was the second straight night the hosts ended a game with a walk off vs. Tri-City.

The ValleyCats dug themselves an early 4-0 hole after the second professional start for Astros third rounder Tyler Ivey didn’t go as planned. Ivey wouldn’t make it out of the first inning, allowing four runs on four hits before exiting the ballgame.

Cristian Javier came on in relief and kept the IronBirds bats at bay, striking out nine over the next five and two thirds innings while only allowing two hits.

The pitching of Javier allowed the ‘Cats bats the opportunity to get the team back in the ballgame.

They did.

Luis Payano hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot in the second inning to make it 4-1. In the fourth, ‘Cats designated hitter Michael Papierski led off with a double, and scored on a fly out and an Aberdeen throwing error to make it 4-2.

Tri-City tied the ballgame in the sixth on a RBI bunt single by Andy Pineda, and an Aberdeen wild pitch which scored Miguelangel Sierra, who singled earlier in the inning.

The ‘Cats threatened to take the lead in the top of the ninth, as they had a runner on third with only one out, but the IronBirds got out of the jam by inducing a ground out from Abraham Toro and a strike out of Jake Adams.

In the bottom half of the ninth, ‘Cats pitcher Jesus

Balaguer was able to get the first out, but then allowed a single, stolen base, and two consecutive walks to load the bases.

Balaguer gave way to Diogenes Almengo, who got Luke Ringhofer to line out to second baseman Kristian Trompiz for the second out. That’s when Nichting was able to deliver the bunt single to give Aberdeen their second consecutive walkoff victory.

The entire New YorkPenn League will observe an off-day on Monday, before returning to action on Tuesday. The ValleyCats host the defending New York-Penn League Champion State College Spikes, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, in a three game series starting Tuesday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.