TROY – With a much different lineup than a year ago, the Tri-City ValleyCats remain one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the Frontier League through 29 games this season.
These revamped ValleyCats couldn’t be held down for second straight day after being shut out on Tuesday night.
Returning on short rest for a morning Education Day game, Tri-City hammered five home runs in a 13-6 rout of the Lake Erie Crushers on Wednesday at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium before a crowd of 3,806 fans consisting mostly of schoolchildren.
The ValleyCats (15-14) bounced back strongly from Tuesday’s 1-0 setback, their first shutout loss of the season, when they managed only two hits against Lake Erie.
“I would say they all got a good night’s rest,” ValleyCats manager Pete Incaviglia said. “Rough road trip, rough trip back, I think they were a little tired (Tuesday). I think they got a good night’s sleep and came out and played like they’re capable of playing.”
The ValleyCats’ team bus broke down in the St. Louis area on Sunday. The majority of players flew back to Albany on Monday, while the staff and six rookies took a replacement bus home.
On Wednesday, Aaron Altherr, Pavin Parks, Zach Biermann, Trey Hair and rookie Robbie Merced all went deep for the ValleyCats (15-14).
The ValleyCats are averaging 6.7 runs per game this season, more than their 6.6 average a year ago, despite losing league MVP Brantley Bell to affiliated baseball and trading aging home-run champion Denis Phipps and slugger Brad Zunica. They were the franchise’s top three players in homers and RBI a year ago.
They’re second in the Frontier League with 42 homers and third with a .280 batting average. The ValleyCats led the league with 162 homers (in 95 games) and were third with a .288 average last season.
“I just think our hitters can do a lot more,” Incaviglia said. “I think they put the…
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