'Cats win in 11th on walk-off hit by Sewald

TROY, NY - Pinch-runner Edwin Medina scored on an error following a single by Johnny Sewald with no outs in the bottom of the eleventh inning, as the Tri-City ValleyCats defeated the Vermont Lake Monsters 7-6 in front of 5,312 fans at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, on Friday night.

The game was a seesaw affair from the start, as the ValleyCats took the lead in the bottom of the second inning on a solo home run to left field off of the bat of Bryan Muñiz. However, the Lake Monsters jumped on top in the top of the fourth inning, when left fielder Seth Brown hit a bases-clearing, three-run double, then shortstop Richie Martin hit a solo-home run in the top of the fifth inning, to put them on top by the score of 4-1.

The 'Cats began to claw back in the bottom of the fifth, when second baseman Brooks Marlow hit a two-run single to cut the deficit to 4-3.

One inning later, third baseman Bobby Wernes scored on a wild pitch with Sewald at the plate, tying the score at 4-4, then Sewald gave the 'Cats the lead seconds later with a two-run single to left field.

Tri-City held the lead until the top of the ninth inning, when designated hitter Mikey White hit a two-run home run off of 'Cats closer Adam Whitt to tie the score at 6-6.

That's where the score stood heading into the eleventh inning, when pinch-hitter Dexter McCall led off the frame with a single to right field. Then, with Sewald coming to the plate, Medina entered the game to pinch-run for McCall.

Sewald eventually worked the count full against Lake Monsters reliever Derek Beasley, before lining a 3-2 pitch to right-center field. Running on the crack of the bat, Medina was able to slide into third safely, as the throw from center fielder Steven Pallares sailed past the third baseman, and went into the ValleyCats' dugout. On the error, Medina scored from third, giving Tri-City the 7-6 win.

Offensively, Tri-City got contributions from up and down the lineup, as Sewald (2-5, 2RBI, 1 SB), Marlow (2-5, 2RBI), Wernes (2-4, R), and Antonio Nuñez (2-4, 2R) all posted multi-hit games.

Getting the victory on the mound for the 'Cats was right-hander Yeyfry Del Rosario (3-1), who came into the game to pitch a scoreless eleventh inning.

With the three-game series against the Lake Monsters now concluded, the ValleyCats will now host the Lowell Spinners, the affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The series begins tomorrow, on the Fourth of July. The game will have a 6:30pm first pitch, and will face a pitching matchup between Tri-City's Rogelio Armenteros (0-0, 2.31), and Lowell's Dioscar Romero (1-1, 7.94).