Williamsport, P.A.- Madison Stokes provided the big hit, as the Crosscutters defeated the ValleyCats 3-1 to take the three-game series.
Francisco Morales looked to build off of a dominate start in West Virginia, and got off to a quick start, retiring the ValleyCats in order in the top of the 1st inning, using three fly ball outs to do so.
Felipe Tejada matched Morales in the bottom of the 1st inning, using a pair of strikeouts to retire the Cutters in order, setting an early tone in the series finale.
Morales retired the side in order in the 2nd inning, and then worked around a lead off single in the top of the 3rdinning to keep Tri-City off the board and keep the game scoreless, using a fine spinning play by Jonathan Guzman in the 2nd and a running grab by Jesus Henriquez in the 3rd.
The Cutters starter got into a jam in the top of the 4th inning, with runners on the corners and two outs, Enmanuel Valdez took off for 2nd base, only to be thrown out on a laser of a throw from Rafael Marchan to end the inning.
The ValleyCats got to Morales in the top of the 5th inning, using a Ramireo Rodriguez triple to right to set things up for Carlos Machado. Machado singled home Rodriguez, giving Tri-City a 1-0 lead against Morales.
With Machado at 3rd base and two outs in the inning, Morales uncorked a wild pitch that appeared to have allowed Machado to score a run to up the ValleyCats lead, however, Machado missed home plate and was called out on an appeal to erase the run and end the inning.
Williamsport took advantage of the miscue in the bottom of the 5th inning against Tejada, who had struck out eight Cutters through his first four innings of work.
Brayan Gonzalez led off the 5th with a single to right field, followed by a bunt single from Jesus Henriquez to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Keudy Bocio dropped a sacrifice bunt, moving both Gonzalez and Henriquez up 90 feet into scoring position.
Jonathan Guzman cued a pitch 22 feet up the first base line, allowing Gonzalez to cross on an RBI infield single to tie the game at 1-1, giving Guzman his 9th RBI of the season.
Two Batters later, Madison Stokes stroked a Tejada offering into right-center field, chasing home Henriquez and Guzman to give the Cutters a 3-1 advantage on Stokes first double on the season, upping his RBI total to four in three games with Williamsport.
Stokes double was the final hit recorded by the Crosscutters on the night, going down in order in their final three trips to the plate, seeing their final 10 batters retired.
Keylan Killgore entered for Morales in the 6th inning and never left. Killgore retired the ValleyCats in order in the 6th inning, worked around a double in the 7th, striking out three in the process, retiring the ValleyCats in order in the 8TH inning and then worked around a lead off single in the top of the 9th inning to close out the 9th to earn the save.
The Crosscutters head to Brooklyn for a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. At MCU Park.
Cutter Carvings – The Cutters won their first series since sweeping Auburn on June 18th through the 20th… Ben Aklinski had his six-game hit streak ended, going 0 for 4 in the win… The Crosscutters are a game over .500 at home with a record of 7-6…
