Youth will be served (Valleycats 3, Vermont 1, 8/31/19)

They've always said baseball was a young man's game.

The Tri-City Valleycats sent 18 year old Jairo Lopez to the hill Saturday night against Vermont, and Lopez saved his best performance of the season for his last, going five innings, giving up one hit while striking out eight, matching a season & career high, and walking one. Lopez was perfect through three innings before issuing the walk to Marty Bechina to start the fourth.

Meanwhile, the 'Cats got to Lake Monsters starter Michael Murray in the home third. Matthew Barefoot singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Luis Guerrero. Two outs and a stolen base later, Guerrero came home on a single by Luis Santana to give the hosts a 2-0 lead through three. Nate Perry homered in the fourth, a blast into the berm behind the visiting bullpen, to close the scoring.

Vermont tried to make a game of it in the seventh against Derek West. With one out, West walked Dustin Harris. A single by Jordan Diaz brought up Kevin Richards, who brought Harris home with a single. Richards, however, was erased on a double play to end the frame. Maybe if this baseball thing doesn't work out, Richards can find another career in radio.

Daniel Cody got five outs for his first pro save, as the Valleycats have now won three of their last four, beating Vermont, 3-1. The teams will meet again this afternoon, followed by a first-ever Labor Day matinee, with a 3 pm first pitch, on Monday.