‘Cats walk off thanks to long balls from Perry, Abreu, and Pavlica
Cats take series with Brooklyn
TROY, NY >> Following a drought of seven straight games without a home run, the Tri-City ValleyCats have now registered four big-flies in their last two contests. The ‘Cats used three long balls to take a 6-5 series-clinching victory over the Brooklyn Cyclones in 10 innings Tuesday afternoon at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
“This is the best game we have played so far, as a whole,” said ValleyCats manager Ozney Guillen. “I know we had three errors early, and the little things that happen, but it’s one of the best.”
“They are adapting to the system,” said Guillen on the three home run day for the ValleyCats. “I think the fear of losing or doing bad is gone, which is a good thing. We
have to go up and swing. We had way better at bats throughout the game — it’s showing everyday and they are getting better and better.”
Looking to lock up their third series victory of the 2019 campaign, the ValleyCats (9-14) came back from a two-run deficit for the second straight day to improve to 7-4 at home, with seven of 11 contests at “The Joe” being decided by a single run this season. The ‘Cats improved to 4-2 in extra innings on the campaign and registered their fifth home walk-off of 2019, including their fourth during free baseball.
Brooklyn (12-12) used the top half of the second to take a 2-0 lead in the rubber match, with Wilmer Reyes beginning his second consecutive three-hit game by coming home on a sacrifice fly and Ranfy Adon coming home on an RBI groundout.
The ‘Cats got a run back on the board in the home half of the third, with outfielder Wilyer Abreu using the first pitch of the frame to register his first professional home run to right field.
Following three quiet frames that wrapped up no-decisions from starters Juan Pablo Lopez (TC, 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) and Garrison Bryant (BRK, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K), Tri-City used another big swing of the bat to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Coming to the plate for the fourth time after being penciled in to the lineup just before first pitch, outfielder Preston Pavlica slammed a three-run shot to left field to send in himself, Bryan Arias and Luis Santana for the team’s second three-run homer in as many days.
Pavlica, who was not originally in the lineup, did not look to homer at the plate, but is happy with the result nonetheless.
“Trying to find a good pitch in the zone that I could put a good swing on,” said Pavlica on the at-bat. “He happened to throw a fastball in and I put a good swing on it and it worked out for me.”
“I wasn’t supposed to play, something happened and I filled in,” said Pavlica on the quick adjustment in the lineup. “Trying to get in a good mindset to get locked in and sticking with an approach that I have coming into the game. It’s a grind out here so you just have to come in everyday with a great mindset and positive attitude and keep working. That’s all it is — keep working everyday and try and get better.”
Holding a 4-2 lead entering the the top of the ninth, ValleyCats righthander Valente Bellozo nearly put the game away, but instead ended up taking a no-decision in 3.2 innings on the mound. With two outs and on strike away from the win both times, Bellozo surrendered back-to-back RBI doubles to allow the Cyclones to tie the game at four and send the ‘Cats back to extras at home.
Brooklyn wasted little time in pulling ahead in the top of the tenth, with tie-breaker run Luke Ritter scoring from second off a sacrifice fly in the second at-bat of the inning. With Preston Pavlica taking his place at second for the ‘Cats down one in the bottom of the frame, Nate Perry ended the contest with a tworun shot to right on the third pitch of the at-bat for his third home run of the season.
“We have a lot of confidence with him,” said Guillen. “We don’t bunt much, especially with a lefty up and the shift over, so we had confidence in him.”
“It was incredible,” said Perry on his walk off. “My family was in the stands, my birthday was yesterday, this feels good for sure.”
Tri-City right-hander Michael Horrell (1-0) picked up his first professional win in 1.1 innings on the mound, allowing just one unearned run to score on a single hit and striking out one. Brooklyn’s Luis Silva (1-1) was tagged with the loss after throwing just three pitched to the one batter that he faced.
Now winners of two straight, the ‘Cats will remain home to continue a six-game home stand, next hosting the State College Spikes for a midweek set over the next three days. First pitch on Wednesday, July 10 is set for 7:00 p.m. at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.