Big Bad Brad's Walk-off Secures Double Header Split

TROY, NY - Wednesday featured two games at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, as the Tri-City ValleyCats took on the Troís-Rivieres Aigles in a double header after Tuesday night's game was postponed due to rain.

The ValleyCats sent out Leo Crawford to make the start for game one of the double header. The Aigles lead off man, Louis-Phillippe Pelletier would reach after Pavin Parks mishandled a grounder hit to him, allowing the first batter of the game to reach base. Canice Ejoh would follow that up with an RBI double, allowing Pelletier to score. Former ValleyCat Steve Brown would then rip a single down the left field line, allowing the speedy Ejoh to come around to score.

The Aigles would jump out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning, after Valibhav Desai would rip an RBI double in to the left center field gap, plating Joe Campagna who doubled himself just the at bat before.

Crawford would settle down after the second inning, pitching two quiet innings in the third and fourth, keeping the Aigles bats at bay from that point forward.

Troís-Rivieres starter Sam Belisle-Springer brought his fast paced game to the mound, working quickly and keeping the ValleyCats offense in check through the early stages of the game. Through the first four innings, the right hander would only surrender two hits, a double from Denis Phipps, and a single from Brad Zunica. It wasn't until the bottom fifth inning that the 'Cats would plate their first and only run of the contest when Denis Phipps would launch a solo shot into the 'Cats bullpen to bring the score to 3-1.

Tri-City would threaten in both the sixth and seventh innings, stranding five runners over the two inning span. Juan Santana would end the game on a fly out to Campagna in foul territory.

FINAL | TROÍS RIVÍERES 3 TRI-CITY 1

W: SAM BELISLE-SPRINGER (5-1)

L: LEO CRAWFORD (0-2)

SV: KYLE THOMAS (7)

Game two of the double header featured Kumar Rocker making his fourth professional start. The former Vanderbilt Commodore would start his outing with two innings of no hit baseball. The only blemish was a two out walk in the first inning to Aigles third baseman Juan Kelly.

The right hander would work himself out of a jam in the third inning. Joe Campagna and Vaibhav Desai would reach base to start the inning, with an error on Parks and a double, putting them on second and third with nobody out. Rocker would proceed to strike out Pelletier and Connor Panas. After ValleyCats manager Pete Incaviglia decided to intentionally walk Juan Kelly, Rocker would strike out Steve Brown to strand the bases loaded.

Pavin Parks would crack the 0-0 tie in the bottom of the third inning, when 'Cats shortstop Pavin Parks would send a Osman Gutierrez fastball over the right center field fence. The lead wouldn't last long for the ValleyCats as Connor Panas would launch a two run shot of his own off of Adam Hofacket in the top of the fifth inning to give the Aigles a 2-1 lead.

After a quiet bottom of the fifth inning for Tri-City, Jaylen Smith would make his ValleyCats debut in the top of the sixth inning. On the first pitch thrown in the inning, Carlos Martinez would extend the Aigles lead on a solo shot to deep left center field. Joe Campagna would add to the lead with an RBI double to plate Raphael Gladu, giving Troís-Rivieres a 4-1 cushion.

Brad Zunica would cut that cushion in half with an opposite field homer in the bottom of the sixth inning off of reliever Mark Tindall.

Trey Cochran-Gill would come in to try to keep the Aigles bats quiet in the top half of the seventh inning. After working himself into a bases loaded, one out jam. Cochran-Gill would get Elliot Curtis to ground out and Campagna to fly out to end the inning.

The 'Cats would enter the bottom of the seventh inning trailing 4-2. Juan Silverio would lead off the inning with an infield single, and Ciaran Devenney would walk to put the tying run on base with nobody out. Brantley Bell would following a Parks fly out, loading the bases with one out. Jesus Lujano would single home Silverio and Devenney to tie the game. The Aigles would decide to walk Denis Phipps to bring Brad Zunica to the plate. The first baseman would hit a towering single off the base of the wall, completing the three-run comeback.

FINAL | (16-18) TRI-CITY 5 (15-17) TROÍS-RIVÍERES 4

W: TREY COCHRAN-GILL (2-1)

L: JAMES BRADWELL (0-1)

SV: NONE

ATTENDANCE: 2016

The 'Cats host the Troís-Rivíeres Aigles in the final game of their mid-week series tomorrow evening for Summer of Love Night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM. Get your tickets today by calling 518-629-CATS,by visiting the team’s box office, or logging on to tcvalleycats.com.