ValleyCats overwhelmed in 15-5 loss to New Jersey Jackals

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

ValleyCats opening night at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy on May 31.

TROY – What started as a back-and-forth slugfest turned into a lopsided loss for the Tri-City ValleyCats on Wednesday night, as the New Jersey Jackals piled up 17 hits in a 15-5 win at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy that dropped Tri-City back to .500 on the season.

The game started with both offenses on fire, combining for 12 runs in the first two innings as New Jersey came away with a 7-5 lead. But, after that point, the ValleyCats (14-14) largely fell silent while the Jackals kept piling on.

New Jersey blew the game open with three runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth, and tacked on one more in the top of the ninth to round things out.

Alfredo Marte led the way for New Jersey, belting a pair of two-run home runs. Joe Simone went 3 for 4 with four RBIs and three runs scored for the Jackals, and Dalton Combs went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and New Jersey had seven different players log multi-hit games.

Denis Phipps led the way for the ValleyCats in defeat, going 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs. Pavin Parks and Brantley Bell added two hits apiece. ValleyCats starting pitcher Leo Crawford was tagged for nine runs on nine hits in three-plus innings and was saddled with the loss. ValleyCats manager Pete Incaviglia was ejected from the game for the second night in a row.

The ValleyCats and Jackals will wrap up their three-game series in Troy on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

New Jersey 250 340 001 — 15 17 0

Tri-City 230 000 000 — 5 9 0