Hot start burns Titans in series-opening loss to ValleyCats

Troy, NY – Leading 3-0 after the first, the Ottawa Titans (40-28) allowed twelve unanswered runs in a 12-3 loss to the Tri-City ValleyCats on Tuesday night.

Following a pair of hits in the first, AJ Wright put the Titans in front with a three-run run shot, taking righty Joey Gonzalez (win, 7-1) the opposite way. Wright’s eleventh homer of the year would account for the Titans’ only runs in the series opener.

Brad Zunica lifted his first of three homers of the night with a solo shot in the bottom of the second to get the ValleyCats on the board, taking Jose Taveras (loss, 5-1) deep to right.

The ValleyCats pounced on Taveras with a five-spot in the third, headlined by a Zunica grand slam. Two batters later, Carson McCusker launched a solo shot to left, putting the home side ahead 6-3.

Taveras would allow three-straight singles to kick off the fifth, with Jesus Lujano lining a base hit to left, scoring Denis Phipps. The Titans starter only managed to ring in four innings on Tuesday, allowing seven runs on ten hits, walking two, and striking out two.

Held hitless through the middle innings, the Titans managed to load the bases in the sixth, as Adam Hofackett entered the ball game. The hard-throwing righty managed to record strikeouts of Matt Feinstein and Jake Sanford to end the threat. The Titans stranded twelve on base in the series opener, combined over the first eight innings.

Matt Valin and Nelson Gonzalez tossed three shutout innings out of the bullpen until Kaleb Schmidt surrendered a five-spot in the eighth. Austin Elder lifted a solo shot before Zunica blasted his second grand slam of the night. the ValleyCats’ first baseman racked up nine RBI on the night, one off a Frontier League single-game record. The Titans summoned utility man Dane Tofteland to record the final out of the eighth.

The Ottawa Titans return to action tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. against the Tri-City ValleyCats from Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Following the series, the Titans return home on Friday for the first of a nine-game home stand to take on the Sussex County Miners.

For information on Ottawa Titans’ 2022 season tickets, group outings, and 8-game mini packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.

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