TROY, NY - Denis Phipps set the Tri-City ValleyCats single-season home run record in Saturday's 13-5 victory vs. the Gateway Grizzlies at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. The oufielder, now with 22 homers this season, blasted two longballs in the home win, part of a 3-for-4 with four RBI day. Phipps, atop the team's career home run list, established the team record last season with 21 home runs.

The ValleyCats offense, which recorded 20 hits in the victory, stayed hot to start the second half of the season, totaling double-digit runs for the second-straight night. Infielder Brantley Bell, Phipps, catcher Joe Campagna, and outfielder Jesus Lujano each registered three hits tonight.

Left handed starter Ryan Williamson, making his fourth start of the season for Tri-City, would retire the Grizzlies in order to begin the game, bringing a scorching hot ValleyCats offense to the plate. Phipps would get the 'Cats on the board with an RBI single in the home half of the first inning, plating Cito Culver who led off with a single of his own. In the second inning, first baseman Brad Zunica would add a run to the 'Cats lead with his own RBI single giving Williamson a 2-0 cushion.

The southpaw would dazzle in the second and third frames, retiring the next six Grizzlies batters in order. He would run into trouble in the fourth inning, surrendering RBI doubles to Isaac Benard and Trevor Achenbach to knot the game at 2-2.

The tie would not last all that long, as Tri-City would bring three runs home in the bottom half of the same inning. Outfielder Mitch Piatnik would record an RBI single to give the lead back to Tri-City. Bell would extend the lead with a two-run shot of his own, bringing Phipps to the plate with shortstop Pavin Parks on base. The designated hitter would tie the ValleyCats single season record with a two-run blast off of Williams to give Tri-City the 7-2 lead.

An RBI single from Andrew Penner and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Grizzlies right fielder Isaac Benard would chip away at the 'Cats lead in the top of the fifth inning, cutting it to 7-4.

Phipps would come to the plate just one swing away from claiming the home run crown for the second year in a row. The right handed hitter would launch a solo shot over the berm in left center field for his 22nd big fly of the season, setting the record yet again.

Campagna would get himself in the home run column with a two-run shot in the same inning, giving the 'Cats an eight run cushion heading into the seventh inning.

Neither team would plate runs in the seventh, and a Gateway player wouldn't cross home plate in the top half of the eighth inning either. Lujano would record an RBI double in the home half of the inning, bringing Zunica in to score. The only unearned run scored against Gateway would come in the same turn at bat, when a Campagna single allowed Lujano to score on an error on Zach Racusin in left field.

The Grizzlies scored a run in the ninth on an RBI single from Ian Bibiloni for the final margin.

The teams wrap up their series on Sunday at 5:00PM. Gates will open at 3:30PM on Sunday FunDay, presented by HighMark Blue Shield of NorthEastern New York. Fans can have a catch on the field at 4:00PM, with NY 529 College Savings Program's summer reading with the players taking place at 4:15 PM. Following the completion of the game, kids 12 and under can run the bases at The Joe. Get your tickets today by calling (518) 629-2287, going online, or stopping by the box office.