'Cats Fold Late, Drop Opener to Quebec

TROY, NY - Friday evening at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium featured Kumar Rocker's second start as a ValleyCat, as they welcome in the first place Quebec Capitales for the first of three this weekend.

The second outing at The Joe did not start as planned for Rocker, who walked David Glaude to lead off the game. The right-hander would go on to hit two batters, but was able to work his way out of trouble, not allowing a Capitales runner to cross the plate.

The ValleyCats would strike for the first runs of the game, as Brantley Bell would single home Jesus Lujano. Bell would advance to second on a Denis Phipps single, and the pair would execute a double steal putting the runners on second and third for Juan Silverio. The 'Cats third baseman would ground out to Kyle Crowl at second base, plating Bell. The ValleyCats threat would end there, as Phipps got caught between third and home trying to follow Bell.

The home half of the second inning had three more runs in store for Tri-City. RBI singles from Daniel Angulo, and Juan Santana would plate a pair, Brantley Bell would collect his second RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly that brought Jonah Girand around to score, giving Tri-City a 5-0 lead. The 'Cats would add a sixth run to their lead on Pavin Parks' fifth home run of the season. A screaming line drive that cleared the fence in right center field.

Rocker would pitch three innings, striking out five and walking just one while not giving up a run.

Quebec would get on the board for the first time in the top of the fourth inning on a two-run homer from Garrett Takamatsu, who sent an Alexander Guillen fastball over the fence in right center, cutting the lead to 6-2 in favor of Tri-City. The Capitales would make it a two-run ball game in top of the fifth inning, plating a run on a double from Kyle Crowl, and the second run coming via a ground out off the bat of Jonathan Lacroix.

After the 'Cats got a run back in the fifth, it was all Capitales. Quebec catcher Reece Yeargain, who entered the game after Jeffry Parra left with an apparent injury, would reach to lead off the top of the seventh inning on a throwing error by Juan Silverio, allowing him to advance to second after the ball skipped past Brantley Bell at first. The backstop would advance to third on a passed ball that got by ValleyCats catcher Jonah Girand. Yeargain would score on an RBI groundout from Kyle Crowl off of Trey Cochran-Gill. Bringing the ValleyCats lead to just one.

The 'Cats bats would go silent in the seventh and the eighth, taking a 7-5 lead into the top of the ninth.

Adam Hofacket would enter to try to shut the door on Quebec. The Capitales would reach base on the first two pitches thrown by the right hander, a single by James McAdams and a double by Yeargain, putting runners on second and third with nobody out. T.J. White would be sat down on strikes by Hofacket for the first out of the inning. But after the strike out, Hofacket would misplay a throw back to the mound from Girand, allowing McAdams to score on the blunder, bringing the Capitales within one run. Takamatsu would give the road team the lead on a two-RBI single.

Daniel Angulo would double with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but would be stranded at third to end the game.

FINAL | QUEBEC 8 TRI-CITY 7

W: FRANK MOSCATIELLO (2-0)

L: ADAM HOFACKET (5-1)

SV: SAMUEL ADAMES (5)

ATTENDANCE: 3022

The 'Cats host the Capitales for the middle stanza of the three-game set on Saturday night for Basketball Hoopla. With post-game fireworks presented by Price Chopper and Market32. Get your tickets today by calling 518-629-CATS, visiting the team’s box office, or logging on to tcvalleycats.com