For the second straight season, and third in their last four years, Tri-City is heading to the playoffs. Needing a win or a Lowell loss to clinch the division, Tri-City got both.
Facing Brooklyn's John Gant (who held Tri-City to one hit in a complete game shutout on August 28), Tri-City opened with two runs in the first that were answered by Brooklyn in the top of the 2nd, and then scored the next four runs of the game in what would be a 6-3 ValleyCats win. Gant allowed 5H/6R (5ER), 2K:3BB in 2IP.
Evan Grills threw 6IP, allowing just 5H/2ER, 8K:0BB; Kevin Comer gave up 2H/1ER, 1K:1BB in 0.2IP; Tyler Brunnemann allowed a hit and a walk in 0.2IP and Gonzalo Sanudo struck out three in 1.2IP (51K:4BB in 38.2IP this season).
Tyler White (SB, RBI) and Ronnie Mitchell (3B, SB, 2RBI) had two hits each. Conrad Gregor was 1x2 with a double and two walks; James Ramsay had a double and a walk.
Tri-City finishes up the regular season at 6pm Eastern today, and heads to Aberdeen for the first game of a Best-of-Five series. Tri-City will host Games 2&3.
Man of the Match: Evan Grills
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
