Game Recap

Y’alls Drop Rain-Marred Series Opener

TROY, NY – The Florence Y’alls (17-14), presented by Towne Properties, roared back from an early deficit against the Tri-City Valleycats (17-14) but fell in walk-off fashion for the third straight game.

After a two-hour rain delay pushed the game’s start back, Florence’s bats were dampened to begin the contest. Tri-City righthander Rafi Vazquez (6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K) held the Y’alls scoreless through six innings and allowed just four hits over that span. In the meantime, the Valleycats struck first in the fourth against Y’alls starter Mike Kickham. In the fourth, Tri-City left fielder Aaron Altherr doubled before first baseman Zach Biermann walked. Shortstop Pavin Parks then doubled home Altherr, and catcher Jacob Goldfarb batted in Biermann with a groundout. Third baseman Ian Walters capped the scoring with an RBI single to make it 3-0 Valleycats.

In the fifth, Tri-City tallied two more when Jacob Goldfarb doubled in a pair to make it 5-0. The Y’alls wouldn’t score until an improbable comeback in the eighth inning. Florence first baseman Craig Massey tripled to start the inning against Valleycats righthander Greg Veliz before right fielder Ray Zuberer promptly homered to cut the lead to 5-2. After a walk and a single, Veliz left the game in favor of lefthanded closer Reymin Guduan, who struck out the first two Florence hitters he faced. With two out and two on, Florence catcher Cooper Edwards smacked a three-run game-tying home run to left to make it 5-5. The long ball marked Edwards’ first of the season and just his second home run in 52 career games with the Y’alls.

Florence righthander Carter Poiry came on in relief to work a 1-2-3 eighth inning, but allowed a one-out, walk-off solo home run to Tri-City right fielder Carson McCusker in the bottom of the ninth. The homer marked the second straight game the Y’alls allowed a walk-off home run and the third straight game that Florence has lost in walk-off fashion.

After weather-related rescheduling, a series-finale double-header between the Y’alls and Valleycats is scheduled for Sunday, June 18th. Game 1 is set for 3:00 p.m. ET and Game 2 is tentatively scheduled for 5:00 p.m. ET.

The Florence Y’alls presented by Towne Properties are Northern Kentucky’s professional baseball team, and are proud members of the independent Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. With a purposeful focus on entertaining our fans, the Y’alls provide affordable, family-friendly entertainment. Y’alls home games are played at Thomas More Stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, Kentucky. More details can be found online at florenceyalls.com (http://florenceyalls.com/) or by phone at (859) 594-4487.