Musgrove Forces Deciding Game 3

The Tri-City ValleyCats forced a deciding Game 3 in the New York-Penn League Championship Series after beating the State College Spikes in Game 2 on Monday night at Joe Bruno Stadium.

One night after being shut out in State College, Tri-City ace Joe Musgrove was dominant, throwing seven scoreless innings in the 3-0 ValleyCats win.

Musgrove had everything working right from the first pitch. He struck out the side in the first, touching 95 MPH in that first frame. He also had a sharp breaking ball and was able to use all of his pitches in any count.

He struck out eight in total, walking nobody. He allowed just two hits.

Ryan Thompson worked the eighth, yielding nothing, and Derick Velazquez preserved the shutout in the ninth, even after allowing the first two men to reach.

Tri-City scored all three runs in its half of the third inning. The 'Cats loaded the bases with nobody out on a single by Alex Hernandez and consecutive bunt singles by 18-year-old Kristian Trompiz and Derek Fisher before Jamie Ritchie walked to score the first run.

The 'Cats added two more in the inning on a wild pitch and a passed ball.

Tri-City will send righty Austin Chrismon to the mound in the deciding Game 3. The 'Cats are going for their second straight NYPL title.

**UPDATED, 8:45 a.m.** Listen as 'Cats broadcaster Sam Sigal joins me to talk about Musgrove's performance and what the 'Cats need to do to clinch.