ValleyCats take seesaw slugfest over Jackals

TROY, NY ( NEWS10 ) – The Tri-City ValleyCats (46-37) pulled away with a back-and-forth 8-7 victory over the New Jersey Jackals (29-55) on Tuesday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.

New Jersey and Tri-City traded home runs in the second. Fritz Genther went deep off Jhon Vargas to give the Jackals a 1-0 lead. In the home half of the frame, Ian Walters went yard against Yuhi Sako for his seventh roundtripper of the season. Afterward, Kyle Novak and Noah Soles walked. Novak came around on a throwing error from Frank Nigro, which put the ValleyCats on top, 2-1.

New Jersey added in the third. Bryson Parks was hit by a pitch, and stole second. John Daly doubled in a run, and Miguel Gomez had an RBI single to provide the Jackals with a 3-2 advantage.

Tri-City stormed back in the bottom of the third. Jaxon Hallmark singled before Elvis Peralta belted a two-run jack, his sixth of the year, to pull the ValleyCats ahead, 4-3.

Genther doubled in the fourth. He moved to third on a sac bunt from Nigro, and scored on a sac fly from Ryan Ford to make it a 4-4 contest.

New Jersey tacked on a run in the sixth. Hemmanuel Rosario and Genther singled before Nigro walked to load the bases. Ford collected his second RBI of the day with a groundout to give the Jackals a 5-4 lead.

Novak doubled in the bottom of the sixth against Christopher Mormile, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ryan Cash plated Novak with a single. Cash proceeded to steal second base. Hallmark then brought in Cash with a triple to provide Tri-City with a 6-5 advantage.

Sako received a no-decision. He pitched five frames, giving up four runs, three earned on six hits, walking two, and striking out five.

The Jackals responded in the eighth. Clayton Mehlbauer greeted Nathan Medrano with a double. Genther knocked in Mehlbauer with a single. Genther stole second, and crossed the plate after a single from Nigro, which put New Jersey on top, 7-6.

Vargas was also handed a no-decision. He worked seven innings, yielding five runs on seven hits, walking two, and striking out six.

Andrew Kramer walked Novak in the bottom of the eighth. Cash laced a double, and Novak went to third. Hallmark delivered a two-run infield single to pull the ‘Cats ahead, 8-7.

Zeke Wood tossed a scoreless ninth, allowing one hit, and striking out two for his fifth save of the year.

Medrano (3-4) earned the win. He pitched one frame, giving up two runs on three hits, walking one, and striking out two.

Kramer (1-2) received the loss. He threw an inning, surrendering two runs on two hits, walking one, and striking out two.

The ValleyCats look to take the series over the Jackals on Wednesday, August 21 ^st . First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM.

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