DiamondDawgs Hold Off Late Dragons Rally 5-4

A four-run third inning was all Mohawk Valley needed in a 5-4 win over Glens Falls on Friday at Veterans Memorial Park. Both teams finished with 10 hits, but the Dragons struck out 13 times against four DiamondDawgs pitchers and a late rally came up a run short. The loss dropped the Dragons to 13-26.

Glens Falls struck first in the second, when Alex Landau singled home Will Rudolph. Mohawk Valley answered in the bottom half on Aiden Streeter's RBI single, then broke it open in the third: Wesley Alfonso doubled home Jake Dolan and Jake Haarde, Roberto Valdes Jr. singled in Alfonso, and Ryan Paine's single plus an error brought Valdes around with an unearned run. The Dragons chipped back in the sixth on Tyler McKillop's sacrifice fly and Derek Diaz's RBI single, then pulled within one in the eighth when Jack Rigabar singled home Jack Ploppert. Ploppert went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored twice, while Diaz and Rigabar each had two hits and an RBI. Valdes led Mohawk Valley with two hits, two runs and an RBI, and Haarde reached four times on two hits and two walks.

Billy Barthel took the loss, allowing eight hits and five runs (four earned) over five innings with four strikeouts, and Shane Hoover followed with three scoreless innings and four strikeouts. Matt Kurek picked up the win with two scoreless frames, and Caden Wells struck out four over the last two for the save. The Dragons return home to face Utica on Saturday.