'Cats extend league's best record with 6-1 victory
STATEN ISLAND, NY - The Tri-City ValleyCats extended their New York-Penn League best record to 42-20 with a 6-1 victory over the Staten Island Yankees on Saturday night at Richmond County Ballpark.
The ValleyCats got on the board early, when third baseman Nick Tanielu drove home center fielder Jason Martin with a two-out RBI single to center field in the third inning.
One frame later, catcher Alfredo Gonzalez smashed the first pitch of his at bat from Yankees righty David Palladino over the left field wall, scoring Ariel Ovando, and extending the ValleyCats lead to 3-0.
The three-run lead was more than enough run support for Tri-City starter Joe Musgrove (6-1). The El Cajon, Calif., native did not issue a walk, and only allowed one hit, to go along with four strikeouts in six scoreless frames, extending his streak without allowing an earned run to 15.1 innings pitched. He has also now pitched a minimum of six innings in each of his last three starts, while the outing marked the third time this season he pitched at least six innings without allowing a run.
The Yankees were able to score once in the seventh inning, when Staten Island second basement Ty McFarland hit a solo home run off of 'Cats reliever Chris Munnelly. However, Tri-City left fielder Derek Fisher led off the top of the eighth with a home run off of Yankees reliever Rony Bautista.
The homer by Fisher, the 37th overall selection in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Virginia, was the first of his career, and was hit over the right-center field wall on a 0-2 pitch.
Fisher added some more offense in the top of the ninth inning, when he followed an RBI single by shortstop Juan Santana with an RBI double to left field that scored Gonzalez.
Left-handed reliever Bryan Radziewski closed out the game for the ValleyCats, striking out two batters in two hitless frames to earn his first career save.
Tri-City will go for the sweep tomorrow in the final game in of this three game series against Staten Island. On the mound for the ValleyCats will be RHP Luis Ordosgoitti (2-4, 4.22), with RHP Tyler Hensley getting the start for the Yankees.
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