
Tri-City ValleyCats defeat Aberdeen IronBirds
Joint effort from Tri-City snags win in series opener
Published 12:06 am, Tuesday, June 19, 2018
The Tri-City ValleyCats took down the Aberdeen IronBirds 6-1 on Monday night in Maryland.
The ValleyCats loaded the bases in the first inning before Michael Wielansky singled to center field to quickly put the 'Cats on the board.
The IronBirds' J.C. Escarra homered to right field in the bottom of the second, shortening the lead to 2-1. The home run was Escarra's second of the season. Robert Neustrom kept the momentum going for the 'Birds with a single, but was left on base.
Enmanuel Valdez scored on Wielansky's sacrifice fly in the third inning. A wild pitch by Aberdeen's Gray Fenter brought home Oscar Campos in the fourth.
Jose Carrillo smacked a home run to left field for his first of the season in the sixth, putting the ValleyCats up 5-1.
Luis Encarnacion doubled on a line drive to left field in the seventh, scoring Valdez, to put the ValleyCats up 6-1.
Nivaldo Rodriguez pitched three scoreless innings, followed by one from Ian Hardman, to lock down Tri-City's second win of the season.
Tri-City starting pitcher Bryan Abreu went the first five innings, giving up four hits and one run while walking one and striking out four.
Fenter lasted four innings for Aberdeen, giving up four hits, four walks, four runs and striking out two.
Valdez finished with three runs, Carillo was 1-for-4, with a run and an RBI and Pena finished 2-for-5 with a run.
The ValleyCats (2-2) will stay in Maryland to face Aberdeen (1-3) in Game 2 of the three-game set at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday.