Flores Lifts 'Cats Past Spinners

TROY, N.Y. - The Tri-City ValleyCats hosted the Lowell Spinners in front of 4,238 fans at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on Friday evening. The crowd brings the season total to 140,631, an all-time record. On the field the ValleyCats were victorious over the Spinners by a score of 5-4 in 10 innings. The ValleyCats won by a walk-off hit by third baseman David Flores.

David Flores led the ValleyCats with four hits and four runs batted in. Flores put the 'Cats on the board in the second inning with his tenth home run of the season. Flores followed up with another long ball, his eleventh, in his next at bat. Tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the tenth inning, Andy Simunic led off with a three base error by Spinners centerfielder Peter Hissey. Lowell then decided to intentionally walk the next two batters, first baseman Phil Disher and catcher Jason Castro to face the slugging Flores. Flores responded with a base hit deep to left-center field to score Simunic.

On the mound, the ValleyCats bullpen provided six scoreless innings in relief. Kyle Godfrey and Brian Wabick each tossed three scoreless innings. Wabick earned his second win by giving up just one hit and facing the minimum of nine batters.

The ValleyCats newly set season attendance record is the fifth consecutive season in which the organization has set a new mark. Through 35 games, the ValleyCats have averaged 4,018 people per game, also an organizational all-time high.

The ValleyCats will conclude the 2008 season Saturday night at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium against the Boston Red Sox affiliate Lowell Spinners. Fireworks will follow the game as fans say goodbye to the 2008 ValleyCats in style. First pitch is schedule for 7:00 pm with gates opening at 6:00 pm.