Troy, NY — The Williamsport Crosscutters were unable to complete their first road series sweep of the season, falling to the Tri-City Valley Cats 8-4. Williamsport pounded out 12 hits in the loss Thursday night.
Cutters starter Felix Paulino suffered his second loss of the season, allowing a season-worst eight runs, all earned on 10 hits, working a season-low 2.2 innings. It was the second straight start that Paulino has allowed 10 hits, with the last coming on the road against the Auburn Doubledays.
Tri-City plated a trio of 1st inning runs on a two-out, two-run Stephen Wrenn home run over the left field wall off of Paulino that scored Ronnie Dawson. The home run was Wrenn’s third of the series and his 6th on the season.
The third run of the inning came on a Taylor Jones, two-out RBI single into right that scored Carmen Benedetti, giving the Valley Cats a 3-0 lead after an inning of play.
Williamsport, did not allow a home run until game one of yesterday’s doubleheader, and afterr tonight have allowed three, all of which were hit by Stephen Wrenn.
The Crosscutters would get a run back in the top of the 3rd inning when Henri Lartigue singled into left field, scoring Juan Luis making it a 3-1 deficit. The RBI for Lartigue was his fourth of the series and fourth of the season.
The Valley Cats opened the game up in the bottom of the 3rd inning, plating five runs, all with two outs. The biggest blow of the inning came on a two-out bases clearing double by Tri-City second basemen Ryne Birk that made it 7-1 in favor of the Valley Cats and would mark the end of the night for Felix Paulino.
Blake Quinn entered in relief of Paulino with Birk on third base and two out. Birk scored on a base hit by Daz Cameron giving the Valley Cats their 8-1 lead, officially closing the book on Felix Paulino. Quinn retired the next batter, Ronnie Dawson on strikes to end the 3rd.
Quinn worked 2.1 innings of shutout relief, allowing three base hits, a walk and struck out a season-high six Tri-City batters, including striking out the side in the 5th.
In the top of the 5th, the Cutters added a run, as David Martinelli reached third base on an Erasmo Pinales wild pitch. On the play, catcher Jake Rogers tried to throw out Luke Williams at 2nd base, but his throw ended up in center field, allowing Martinelli to score, cut the deficit to 8-2.
Williamsport added two more runs, getting a solo home run from Juan Luis that landed in the Cutters bullpen beyond the right field wall cutting the lead to five at 8-3. For Luis, it was his 1st home run of the season and his 3rd RBI on the year.
Luis would factor into the final Cutters run of the night, grounding into a RBI fielders choice with the bases loaded in the 8th inning, cutting the deficit to four at 8-4. Luis finished the night 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, giving him 4 RBI on the season.
Kenny Koplove worked 2 innings of shutout relief, striking out three Valley Cats batters in the effort. Koplove has now worked back-to-back scoreless outings in relief, both coming on the six-game road trip.
Gandy Stubblefield worked around a pair of walks in a scoreless inning of relief, picking up a strikeout in the process. As a whole, the Cutters bullpen combined for 5.1 innings of shutout relief in a losing effort.
Luke Maglich finished the night 3-for-4 with three singles, joining Juan Luis as the first two Cutters to record three hits in the same game. The Cutters have had five batters this season record three hits in a game this season.
Williamsport returns home to start a three-game series against Pinckney divison foe, Batavia tomorrow night at BB&T Ballpark.. Bailey Falter is scheduled to start as he makes his third start of 2016 for the Williamsport Crosscutters. He will be opposed by Jose Diaz, who will be making his third start for the Muckdogs. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Cutter Carvings – The Cutters return home on July 1st as they take on the Batavia Muckdogs at BB&T Ballpark…The Crosscutters finished their six-game road trip 3-3…Williamsport has hit five home runs in their last four games,giving them 6 on the season…Williamsport combined for 31 hits and 19 runs in the series against Tri-City…
