Not quite a no-no
Tri-city hurlers carry a no-hitter into 8th inning before allowing single in 3-0 win
Valleycats carry a no-hit bid into the top of the eighth in their 3-0 shutout of Vermont’s Lake Monsters.
Every season, the Tri-city Valleycats front office sets an average-attendance goal of 4,000 fans per game. It’s a source of pride for the area’s minor-league baseball team that it reached that standard for 11 consecutive years.
That streak is certain to officially end on Monday, whether or not the Valleycats get to play the scheduled finale at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
The Valleycats are averaging 3,869 over 34 home dates heading into their game against the Vermont Lake Monsters on Labor Day, which might be canceled with rain in the forecast.
Even if they get the game in, the Valleycats would need to pack 8,471 fans into “The Joe” (seating capacity 4,500) to reach 4,000 per contest for the season. The team record for single-game attendance is 7,119, set on July 9, 2011.
In other words, Tri-city will average fewer than 4,000 per
game for the first time since 2007. Valleycats president Rick Murphy was already conceding it.
“Our staff is well aware of the fact that we fell short of 4,000 for the first time in 12 years and it’s something we as an organization put a lot of pride in, in terms of how we weather various challenges,’’ Murphy said. “I always have been a believer that as long as we continue to work hard, good things will happen, so I think going into the next year, now that we have our schedule in place, our staff will be motivated to get back over that 4,000 (mark).”
The New York-penn League released its 2020 schedule on Friday, an unusually early date.
Murphy still described 2019 as a “solid year,” and pointed out the Valleycats will finish third among 14 teams in the NYPL in average attendance behind Brooklyn (4,873) and Hudson Valley (4,123).
A crowd of 3,816 filed into Bruno Stadium on Sunday, and they were nearly treated to the first home nohitter in Valleycats history.
Tri-city prevailed 3-0 over Vermont and didn’t allow a hit until Blair Henley surrendered a two-out single to center by Vermont’s Logan Davidson with two out in the eighth inning. Henley shook off a curveball signal from catcher Korey Lee and instead threw an 0-2 fastball that Davidson smacked for a base hit.
“I’m very mad at myself,’’ Henley said. “I shook off and threw a fastball down the middle, and it shouldn’t have happened.”
The only two no-hitters in Tricity’s 18-year history happened on the road in Oneonta in 2008 and in Aberdeen in 2015.
Henley, starter Peyton Battenfield and relievers Hunter Brown and Michael Horrell still combined on a two-hitter with 15 strikeouts.
Tri-city second baseman Luis Santana hit a two-run homer as Tri-city won for the fifth time in six games to improve to 32-42.
It’s a strong finish to a disappointing season for the Valleycats, who won the New Yorkpenn League title a year ago. They drew an average attendance of 4,119 in 2018, but Murphy said he didn’t think the drop was due to the on-field struggles.
“I don’t think so,’’ Murphy said. “This time of the year, if you’re in the playoff hunt, it gives you a little bit of a bump. We try to control the things off the field operationally, and if the team’s performing well, that provides some additional excitement around it, and that to me is a bonus.”
Nine NYPL teams experienced attendance declines from a year ago.
Murphy said the weather didn’t fully cooperate for his team. The home opener, usually a sellout, was postponed by rain on June 16. There will be four rainouts if Monday is washed out.
“We had some very good dates, but we also had some dates where we were challenged,’’ Murphy said. “Whether it was weather (or) we didn’t do a good job of promoting or getting the groups (sales) for those particular nights. But overall, I think it’s a solid year.” note: Valleycats catcher-first baseman nate Perry was promoted to Class Aadvanced fayetteville Sunday. manager ozney Guillen pulled him from the game after the sixth inning. Perry led tri-city with 12 homers, the third-most in a season in franchise history.