June 29, 2021: ValleyCats Take Midweek Series Opener at New Jersey

LITTLE FALLS, NJ - New week? Same winning ways. The Tri-City ValleyCats (10-18) kicked off a midweek series with their sixth victory in eight games, outlasting the New Jersey Jackals (16-11), 6-2, at Yogi Berra Stadium Tuesday evening. The 'Cats used a crooked middle inning to roll to victory, winning for the second time this season despite being out-hit.

Looking to shake off a hard-luck loss to round out a series victory at home over the weekend, the 'Cats entered the middle innings scoreless, with right-hander Austin Cline throwing a dazzling four and two-thirds innings of shutout ball, while allowing five hits, striking out five, and walking two. Tri-City's offense caught up in the top of the fourth, taking a 4-0 lead with a crooked frame consisting of an RBI singles from Willy Garcia and Phil Caulfield, an RBI double off the bat of Daniel Angulo, and an RBI groundout from Colton Whitehouse.

New Jersey, who stranded nine runners on base throughout the course of the ballgame, left the bases loaded in the home half of the fourth, with the 'Cats' Francisco Jimenez (2-1) picking up the win on the mound in one and one-third innings. The Jackals got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs via a passed ball and a ground out in the sixth, but could not come any closer offensively, with Jared Milch (1-1) taking the loss on the mound in five innings, allowing four earned runs and striking out six.

The 'Cats placed a pair on base and capitalized once more offensively in the contest, with Carson Maxwell advancing to third following a deep ball to right center, allowing Nelson Molina and Keaton Weisz to score. ValleyCats closer Trey-Cochran Gill allowed just one hit over the final one and two-thirds innings to earn his sixth save, giving him a win or a save in each of his last five appearances on the mound, as well as the third-most saves in the league. Willy Garcia recorded his second multi-hit game as a 'Cat, going 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

Tri-City will look to lock up its third consecutive series victory on Wednesday, June 30, when it duels with New Jersey in the second tilt of the three-game affair. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM. Following the midweek series, the 'Cats will host division rivals Equipe Quebec for a Fourth of July Weekend series at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Click Here for tickets.