Hartman, Benedetti lead 'Cats past Auburn

AUBURN - The ValleyCats used eleven hits and a strong pitching performance to beat the Doubledays 4-3 at Falcon Park in Thursday night's rubber match.

Playing in his second game since coming back from an injury, Carmen Benedetti added two hits, two RBI and a run scored in the 'Cats second straight victory.

Ryan Hartman made his fifth start of the season and held the the Doubledays to two hits in four innings, striking out one. In relief, Howie Brey (1-1) picked up his first win, combining with Austin Nicely to allow three runs and strike out two.

Tri-City (34-31) opened up the scoring in the the fourth when Benedetti's double off of Carlos Acevedo scored Rodrigo Ayarza. Ronnie Dawson followed with a base hit to center, plating Benedetti and giving the 'Cats a 2-0 lead.

Benedetti's single in the fifth gave the ValleyCats an insurance run, scoring Gabriel Bracamonte.

Auburn (27-37) didn't score until the bottom of the fifth when Clayton Brandt scored on Dalton Dulin's groundout to make it 3-1. Tres Barrera lifted a solo home run in the sixth, his third of the season, to pull the Doubledays within one.

The ValleyCats responded right away, though, when Rodrigo Ayarza singled to score Tyler Wolfe and put the 'Cats up 4-2.

The Doubledays made it interesting in the ninth when Brandt led off with a base hit off of Nicely, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Nicely got Luis Vilorio on a pop up and Dulin on a groundout, before Daniel Johnson Jr.'s single scored Brandt from second. Paul Panaccione singled to put runners on first and second, before Nick Banks grounded out to end the game, giving Nicely his first save this season.

Auburn's Carlos Acevedo (2-4) took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings. Jonny Reid allowed a run in two innings of relief and David Ramos pitched the final two scoreless.

With the win, the 'Cats keep pace with Stedler Division-leading Lowell, who beat Vermont 7-0, but gained a game on second place Connecticut. Staten Island, the Wild Card leader, also won Thursday, a 4-0 victory over Aberdeen. The ValleyCats are now five games behind Lowell in the Stedler Division and three and a half behind the Yankees in the Wild Card race. 

Tri-City comes back home to Joseph L. Bruno Stadium to host the Lowell Spinners for three games beginning tomorrow night, August 26, at 7:00 p.m., a series that will likely decide the ValleyCats playoff hopes.