TROY – The Tri-City ValleyCats have proven themselves as a formidable offensive force in the Frontier League this season, despite a significant change in their lineup compared to last year. In their 29 games so far, these revamped ValleyCats have continued to showcase their offensive prowess.
Following a shutout loss on Tuesday night, the ValleyCats bounced back with an impressive performance against the Lake Erie Crushers on Wednesday. Despite returning on short rest for a morning Education Day game, Tri-City dominated the field, smashing five home runs and securing a convincing 13-6 victory in front of a crowd of 3,806 fans, mainly comprised of schoolchildren.
After suffering their first shutout loss of the season in the previous game, where they only managed two hits against Lake Erie, the ValleyCats displayed resilience and determination in their comeback. ValleyCats manager Pete Incaviglia attributed their success to a good night’s rest, suggesting that fatigue may have played a role in their previous defeat.
The ValleyCats faced additional challenges as their team bus broke down in the St. Louis area on Sunday. Despite the setback, the majority of players managed to fly back to Albany on Monday while the staff and six rookies had to take a replacement bus home.
During Wednesday’s game, Aaron Altherr, Pavin Parks, Zach Biermann, Trey Hair, and rookie Robbie Merced all hit home runs for the ValleyCats. Surprisingly, the team has managed to increase their average runs per game from 6.6 last year to 6.7 this season, despite the departure of key players Brantley Bell, Denis Phipps, and Brad Zunica, who were renowned for their home runs and RBI contributions.
In terms of league rankings, the ValleyCats currently sit second in the Frontier League for home runs with 42 and third for batting average with .280. Last season, they led the league with 162 home runs and achieved a .288 batting average.
Incaviglia expressed his belief that the team’s hitters have the potential for even greater success, noting their improved ability to put the ball in play and utilize their speed to secure infield hits and stolen bases. He praised their fundamental soundness and their ability to play offensive baseball effectively.
Biermann, who returned to the ValleyCats this year after a stint with Evansville, credited Manager Pete’s thorough research and strategic team building for their success. He applauded the cohesion among the experienced players and their commitment to sharing valuable insights and observations.
One of the newcomers, Trey Hair, had a stellar performance on Wednesday, going 4 for 5 with two RBI. He attributed their improved approach at the plate to a shift in focus towards the type of pitching they were likely to face, rather than solely focusing on hitting preferences.
Rookie Robbie Merced, son of former MLB player Orlando Merced, made a remarkable impact in his second professional game by hitting a memorable solo home run. Merced recently completed his college career at Central Methodist and demonstrated his defensive abilities with an impressive catch in shallow right field.
The ValleyCats, who have been alternating wins and losses in their last eight games, aim to secure back-to-back victories in the series finale against Lake Erie on Thursday.
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Hair, one of the newcomers, went 4 for 5 with two RBI on Wednesday. He said the ValleyCats had a better approach at the plate than on Tuesday, when they failed to take advantage of seven walks and stranded 10 runners.
“We definitely worked on our approach going into the (batting) cages,” Hair said. “Knowing runners in scoring position, it’s kind of looking for the pitching we’re going to get, rather than what we want to hit.”
Merced, the son of retired big-leaguer Orlando Merced, made his first professional hit a memorable one in his second professional game. He slugged a solo homer to left for a 12-5 lead in the seventh.
Merced recently finished his college career at Central Methodist, an NAIA school in Missouri. He also made a nice back-to-the-plate catch of a pop fly in shallow right in the second inning.
“It (the homer) definitely took a bit of weight off the shoulders,” Merced said. “Take a deep breath after that and go play. But I’ve always had confidence in myself to do it, anyway.”
The ValleyCats, who have alternated wins and losses in their last eight games, will try to make it two wins in a row on Thursday in the series finale.
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