Feeling right at home (Valleycats 3, Lake Monsters 2)

On a night when representatives from the Baseball Hall of Fame were in town, Mother Nature tried to spoil the party with an unexpected early evening rainstorm, but the skies cleared, and that might have been all the inspiration the Tri-City Valleycats needed on Friday night.

One week after getting swept by the Vermont Lake Monsters, the 'Cats were prepared to collect at least one receipt. Unfortunately, starter Franny Cobos didn't have his best stuff in the first inning. Cobos hit the first batter of the game, Nick Ward, just two pitches in. Danny Bautista reached on an error by third baseman Juan Pineda, a last second replacement, and Kevin Richards worked out a walk to load the bases. Two outs later, Jose Rivas walked to force in Ward, and Vermont had a 1-0 lead.

However, the lead did not last. In the home second, Zach Biermann took Vermont starter Richard Morban out to right field with a home run to tie the game. In the home fourth, CJ Stubbs drilled a solo homer to left center to give Tri-City a 2-1 lead.

Alas, the bullpen couldn't hold the lead. In the sixth, Vermont tied the game, again without the benefit of a hit. Richards walked, and after an error and a wild pitch, he scored on a balk to tie the game at 2-2.

That, though, would be the end of Vermont's offense for the night.

In the bottom of the ninth, Nate Perry bounced a high Baltimore chop to third. Jordan Diaz, however, had no play, and, oh, that would prove costly for the Lake Monsters. Two pitches later, Korey Lee split the gap in left center. Perry, being waved around by manager-third base coach Ozney Guillen, scored ahead of the throw, and the 'Cats earned their second walk off win of the week, 3-2. It's also Tri-City's second straight win after salvaging the finale of their series at Aberdeen.

The two teams will meet again tonight at 7, but that's not all the action in town. The Troy Fighting Irish are home, too, across town at Lansingburgh High to host defending Northeastern Football Alliance champion Syracuse, also at 7.
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Other stuff: The Albany Dutchmen, after being rained out at home Thursday, blew away Adirondack, 10-2, on Friday. They'll play two today at Siena vs. Mohawk Valley.