TROY– After an exciting home opener that resulted in a 13-1 W over the Connecticut Tigers, the Tri-City ValleyCats were looking to do the same thing on Saturday.
After a momentum shifting 1st inning, the ValleyCats found themselves down 5-1. In the 2nd, after giving up 3 more runs, Tri-City starting pitcher Ben Smith reflected on the rest of the game from the dugout.
For Smith, Saturday’s start was his first in 2 years, after a bout with Tommy John’s surgery, cancer, and the death of his younger brother Kaleb. “Just to see him cross the line (on the mound) was fabulous. Tomorrow’s a new night”, ValleyCats manager Lamar Rogers said.
Finally in the 3rd, the Valley Cats showed some life, managing to put 2 runs on the scoreboard, making it, 8-3.
In the 5th, still down by 5, again the ValleyCats showed some spark as Stephen Warren took home, making it 8-4. Sadly for Tri-City, their potential for so much more ended there, all dressed up with bases loaded, nowhere to go but the 6th.
When all was said and done, the ValleyCats simply didn’t have enough juice in the tank, falling to the Connecticut Tigers, 9-5.
You win some, you lose some. Lets hope the rest of the season brings much more in the W category than the Cats current 1-1 standing. From here Tri-City will travel to Brooklyn, with the ValleyCats taking on the Cyclones for a 3 game set before returning to “The Joe” this Wednesday, June 22 at 7:00pm
