Davis slugs ValleyCats to walk-off win
TROY, NY- J.D. Davis beat out a double play to reach on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to give the ValleyCats a walk-off win in 11 innings on Tuesday night against the Vermont Lake Monsters.
The 5-4 win moves the 'Cats record to 8-4 on the season. This was Tri-City's third walk-off win at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium already this year, matching their total from all of 2013.
The game was a seesaw battle early on, as Tri-City took a 1-0 lead in the third inning thanks to first baseman A.J. Reed's double off of the wall in right-center field, only to see Vermont surge ahead after scoring two runs in the top of the fifth frame.
The 'Cats took the lead back with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, when shortstop Mott Hyde doubled down the right field line, scoring Ravel Santana from second to tie the game. When Lake Monsters right fielder Scott Masik's throw sailed awry, Alfredo Gonzalez scored from third to give Tri-City a 3-2 lead. One inning later, Davis pushed the lead to 4-2 when he hit a 1-1 pitch off of Vermont left-hander Victor Veliz down the left field line just to the right of the foul pole for his second home run of the season.
Unfortunately, the Lake Monsters fought back once again, rallying to score two runs off of 'Cats reliever Bryan Radziewski in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game at 4-4.
The two teams then stayed tied all the way until the bottom of the 11th inning, when Bobby Boyd, an eighth-round draft pick by the Houston Astros this season out of West Virginia University who joined the ValleyCats before yesterday's game, singled to right field with one out. He then stole second base, and advanced to third on second baseman Marc Wik's infield single.
Vermont reliever Jonathan Massad then intentionally walked Reed, bringing up Davis, whose groundball fielded by Vermont third baseman Yairo Munoz could not be converted into a double play. As a result, Boyd scored from third base, giving the ValleyCats their fourth win in a row, and yet another exciting walk-off victory.
Earning the win for Tri-City was right-handed reliever Chris Munnelly (1-0), who came on with two outs in the top of the 10th inning and tossed one and one third scoreless frames while striking out three batters.
The ValleyCats will now head to Massachusetts for a two-game series against the Lowell Spinners. That set will be followed by a three-game road series against the Connecticut Tigers. Tri-City then will conclude their eight-game road trip by playing three games in Burlington, Vermont against the Lake Monsters, before returning home to host the Spinners on the 4th of July. That night's game, which will have a special 6:30 first pitch, will feature a postgame fireworks display presented by Price Chopper.
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