Boulders Roll to Seventh Straight Win

Take Series Opener in Showdown at Tri-City

Troy, NY – The New York Boulders showed no signs of rust after back-to-back off days, rallying from 5-1 down in their series opener at Tri-City, beating the ValleyCats 8-6 at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium for their seventh win in a row.

The Boulders (37-28) jumped on top just two batters in, getting a solo homer from 2B Kyle Hess off of Tri City starter Connor Wilford (ND).

But the lead didn’t last, as RHP Aidan Risse (ND / 4.1 IP, 6 R (4 ER), 8 H, 3 BB, 2 K) gave up a leadoff walk, stolen base, single, and RBI groundout in the bottom of the first for a 1-1 tie.

The ‘Cats (38-27) went in front on a wild pitch (Risse’s fourth of the day) in the third inning, then extended to 5-1 in the fourth on three singles, a sacrifice fly, and an error.

But that lead didn’t last either; New York scored four times in the top of the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double for LF Fritz Genther and 3B Santino Rosso’s two-run single that made it 5-5. Tri-City went back in front in the bottom of the fifth inning, getting a two-out RBI single off reliever Nolan LaMere that put Risse on the hook – but only temporarily.

The Boulders took the lead for good in the top of the eighth, ignited by a leadoff walk, a hit batter, and an error on an attempted sacrifice bunt; SS Austin Dennis drew a game-tying, bases loaded walk before Hess connected for a tie-breaking sacrifice fly and, two batters later, Genther added a sac fly to cap the scoring.

RHP Tyler Vail (Save #12) worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, helped out big time by a line drive 4-3 double play before inducing a game-ending fly out to deep left field

Also of note:

* The Boulders are nine games over .500 for the first time this year, have tied their season-high with a seventh straight win (also May 31-June 7), and are just a half-game behind the East Division-leading Miners (pending tonight’s Sussex County game at Trois-Rivières)

* New York’s quartet of LaMere, Ethan Bradford, Grady Gorgen, and Vail combined for 4.2 innings of scoreless relief; Bradford (W, 3-0) pitched the sixth and seventh, giving up one hit while striking out three

The three-game series continues tomorrow (Wednesday) night, with first pitch at “The Joe” scheduled for 6:30pm EDT.