TROY, N.Y. — The Tri-City ValleyCats got to bring music back to the clubhouse, sign postgame autographs with lifted spirits, and breathe a sigh of relief on Saturday night, as for the first time in over a week, the ballclub was a winner again.
To break a six-game losing streak, the ValleyCats’ were delivered a gem by rookie right-hander Easton Klein, while the offense started small and finished with a bang. After a 6-1 win over the Sussex County Miners, in the middle game of a three-game set at Joe Bruno Stadium, the ValleyCats notched their first victory since June 13.
“‘Relief’ is a pretty good word for it. Now we’re just getting back to playing ValleyCats baseball,” Tri-City shortstop Tyson Gingerich said Saturday. “That’s what we saw tonight.”
“It feels good. But I mean, it’s baseball. It gets tough sometimes and that’s when the real work comes out, when stuff ain’t going your way,” added catcher Chris Burgess.
Gingerich went 3-4 in the ballgame, starting with a pair of bunts that allowed him to come all the way around to score in each of the third and fifth innings. Burgess crushed a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, his third of the season, to put the contest out of reach.
“That’s what this team is designed to do. We’ve got a lot of speed, a lot of guys that can do different things, like bunting, stealing, and all that kind of stuff,” Gingerich said, “so, I think when we play that way we’re hard to beat.”
The bats gave plenty of support to Klein on the bump, but he’d prove to not need much, as the rookie from Point Park University (Pittsburgh, Pa; NAIA) dealt seven innings of one-run baseball, allowing just three hits, with four strikeouts.
“The one thing he continues to do: he can reset. He’s a good strike thrower, he’s not perfect, but he resets and he collects himself and he did that,” ValleyCats manager Greg Tagert said postgame. “But what impressed me most is the ability to get a little deeper in the game. He was attacking that strike zone even in moments where guys are fouling it. You saw him get a lot of outs on his fastball tonight and he continues to have something that we saw from day one.”
“We were on the same page pretty much,” added Burgess. “We talked before the game, during the game as well and we were on the same page and it showed tonight. He did an amazing job.”
Klein’s parents, Kate and Rick, were both in attendance to see their son pitch for the first time in, “over a year,” as he recalled, but he said that didn’t add to any of the pressure the club was already facing amid its losing skid.
“I’m trying not to think about it too much and I’m trying to still approach it the same way. I approach every game basically the same, but everything just kind of worked out for me tonight,” said Klein on Saturday. “It’s always special being in front of (parents). They’re my biggest supporters and it’s their first time coming up and seeing me so far up here, so it was definitely special to go out there now and give them that outing.”
His start came on the heels of another much-needed gem outing, from pitcher Chas Cywin, in game one of the series on Friday night. Cywin also shoved seven innings versus the Miners, yielding only two runs, and ended his start with a 4-2 lead, going into the eighth inning. However, ‘Cats reliever Gino Sabatine was touched up for six runs (five earned) across the final two frames of work, pushing the losing streak to six.
“Last night was heartbreaking, but you know? This is baseball, so you just gotta keep flushing out the past and showing up the next day with a positive mindset,” said Klein.
The Miners set up opportunities to amount another avalanche in game two, starting in the top of the fourth when Klein was eaten up by a leadoff bunt back to the mound and then called for a questionable balk to advance the runner to second base.
The ValleyCats already had a 1-0 lead after Dylan Broderick drove in Gingerich via a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third, but would give the run right back as Klein surrendered an eventual two-out single to Miners’ Oraj Anu. The rally would go no further, with the top half of the frame ending on a flyout to right field.
“I mean, that’s the biggest thing with pitching, is- eliminating the big inning from happening. Being able to cut that down and have it only be the one (run) and to keep it there the entire game, that’s huge for us and then it gives our dugout some motivation,” Klein said. “Our guys could get going again so that was big.”
In the bottom of the fifth, ValleyCats Ryan Cash put the team back ahead with an RBI groundout to score Burgess, who led off the inning with a walk, followed by the second bunt single of the game from Gingerich. Broderick scored Gingerich via sacrifice fly once again to go up 3-1.
Burgess’ two-run home run homer in the bottom of the sixth gave Tri-City its largest lead since the June 13th game at Trois-Rivieres, at 5-1.
“It definitely feels very good. This pitching staff, they’ve been working hard and things haven’t been going their way, so it’s good to give them the support” said Gingerich.
“Playing with the lead is always fun. Unfortunately, I gave it right back to them in that next inning, but it was great; I could tell tonight was a little different,” Klien added. “I could see the offense click. I know we’ve been making some adjustments, we’ve been getting guys on base, and we were just struggling to get those big hits, but I was positive they were gonna start landing soon and we’re gonna go on a run.”
Sussex County threatened once more in the top of the seventh, putting runners on second and third base with two outs. Klein again shut the door, striking out Miners’ Evan Giordano to stay ahead 5-1 and in line to streak-snapping victory.
Klein showed plenty of emotion after the strikeout, letting out a celebratory yell as he walked off the mound.
“That was probably the most emotion I’ve showed all season. That was big, getting out of that big jam, especially because that was an opportunity for them to get back in the ballgame. But, being able to shut that down was huge.”
“That set the tone right there,” remarked his catcher, Burgess. “That just shows them how much fight he has as a pitcher. The guy goes out and busts his butt every start and that showed. So, I’m very proud of him for that win.”
After the game one debacle from the bullpen, local right-hander Arlo Marynczak came in and flipped the script for Tri-City in the eighth and ninth innings Saturday. Marynczak stuck out four of the final six batters, without allowing a hit or walk.
“That’s a big confidence booster. Arlo came out there and shut the door, didn’t give them any signs of hope, and that’s big,” Klein said. “That’s what we need in the bullpen. That’s the momentum that’s gonna carry over into the future for us.”
“Those guys are tough mentally; they don’t really let that get to him. Every day is a new day and they show it,” Burgess said on the bullpen’s response from game one. “They come and compete every day and I’m just thankful I can be behind there and back those guys up.”
ValleyCats’ third baseman Ian Walters had already put the finishing touches on the offensive performance in the bottom of the eighth, launching his fourth long ball of the season, over the right-centerfield fence for a solo home run.
For Tagert, on Saturday night the feeling postgame was that of “euphoria,” and not just for his own sake.
“I want the club to enjoy it…I’ll let them enjoy it tonight and then we’ve got tomorrow, but there’s probably a little bit more relief for the coaching staff and for Tom Thornton, our pitching coach, who has been yelled at a lot of times by the manager in the last couple of weeks,” Tagert said lightheartedly, postgame.
Klein could feel it too, well after his time on the mound, with family and eager young fans had concluded. But now, he and the ValleyCats look to Sunday’s rubber match with the Miners, set for a 5 p.m. first pitch back at Joe Bruno Stadium, trying to keep that feeling alive.
“That’s the moments we live for right there. That’s the best feeling in the world, being able to play our victory songs and just having a good time in the dugout,” Klein said. “It’s always tough after a loss, but I think it’s it’s time we start playing some more music.”
