'Cats win 3rd straight, beat Vermont 13-1

Little went wrong for the Tri-City ValleyCats (20-17) in a 13-1 victory over the Vermont Lake Monsters (17-20) Monday night, securing the series win at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Enrique Chavez (W, 3-0) twirled five masterful innings, striking out seven and retiring the first 11 batters he faced. 

The 'Cats matched their season-high of 13 runs, mashing 14 hits including eight doubles in their specialty SpongeBob SquarePants-themed jerseys on Nickelodeon Night. Every ValleyCat who came to the plate reached base, and five registered multi-hit games. 

Dustin Hunt came on in relief of Chavez in the 6th inning, and pitched his best outing of the season. He struck out four in three scoreless, allowing only two hits and two walks. Southpaw Howie Brey came on for the 9th and surrendered a 444 foot solo home run to Miguel Mercedes (6), the only run the Lake Monsters managed. 

Tri-City scored five runs in the first inning, and have now totaled 33 runs in the first frame this season. All five runs came with two outs. Stephen Wrenn doubled after Rodrigo Ayarza and Ryne Birk flied out, and Carmen Benedetti walked. Spencer Johnson stroked a ground-rule double to left field, scoring Wrenn, putting runners on second and third for Ronnie Dawson, who ripped a two-run double to left center field to give the 'Cats a 3-0 lead. 

With Dawson on base, Taylor Jones came to the plate to face his former Gonzaga teammate, Brandon Bailey (L, 0-1). Jones drilled a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall, his 5th of the season and 3rd in his last 10 games. Jones finished the game 3-4 with a home run, two doubles, three RBI, four runs scored and a walk. 

The 'Cats added two more in the 3rd on back-to-back-to-back doubles from Dawson, Jones and Jake Rogers. Alex DeGoti lifted a sacrifice fly in the 5th to tack on another, scoring Jones and giving the ValleyCats an 8-0 lead. Dawson finished 3-5 with two doubles, three runs, two doubles and two RBI. 

Neither team scored in the 6th, but the ValleyCats erupted for five more runs in the 7th, and batted around. Johnson led off with a double, and Dawson singled on a line drive to center field. With Taylor Jones at the plate, Branden Kelliher tossed two wild pitches, the first scoring Johnson and the second allowing Dawson to advance to third. Jones walked, and Jake Rogers ripped an RBI single to left, plating Dawson and giving the 'Cats a 10-0 lead. DeGoti and Ayarza drew back-to-back walks loading the bases and walking in a batter to make it 11-0. 

Tyler Wolfe came in to pinch hit for Birk, and he was hit by Kelliher's pitch, scoring Rogers scores. Lefty Will Gilbert replaced Kelliher on the hill, and Wrenn welcomed him to the ballgame with an RBI single, giving the 'Cats a 13-0 lead. Gilbert tossed the final two innings for Vermont, allowing a hit and striking out one. 

The ValleyCats teed off on relievers Jesus Zambrano and Kelliher, tagging them for a combined eight runs on seven hits and four walks. 

Tri-City and Vermont will play the series finale tomorrow night, July 26, at 7:00 p.m. Lefty Ryan Hartman (0-0, 1.40) will take the hill for the 'Cats, facing off against Dakota Chalmers of Vermont (4-1, 2.87).