JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Johnstown Mill Rats reliever Matt Galli entered the ninth inning with a one-run lead, two on, no outs and the tying run standing on second base at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point.
The right-hander then ended the Alton River Dragons’ fireworks while simultaneously putting into motion the hometown pyrotechnics Thursday night.
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World War II veteran Lee Vickroy, 101, stands for “The Star-Spangled Banner” with his great-nephew Bart Vickroy by his side and surrounded by other family members before a Johnstown Mill Rats baseball game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, Pa., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Johnstown Mill Rats pitcher Gabe Bryant throws to an Alton River Dragons batter in the top of the second inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Alton River Dragons pitcher Jackson Parrill throws to a Johnstown Mill Rats batter in the bottom of the second inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Johnstown Mill Rats center fielder Nick Matson makes a catch to put out Alton River Dragons’ Sean McConache in the top of the third inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Johnstown Mill Rats’ Gustavo Gonzalez (left) dives safely back to first base on a pickoff attempt as Alton River Dragons first baseman Trevor Goodwin applies a late tag in the bottom of the third inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Fireworks light up the skyline behind 1st Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown, PA., celebrating the 249th anniversary of America’sSecond Continental Congress signing a resolution declaring the 13 original colonies’ independence from Great British, Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Fireworks light up the skyline behind 1st Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown, PA., celebrating the 249th anniversary of America’sSecond Continental Congress signing a resolution declaring the 13 original colonies’ independence from Great British, Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Fireworks light up the skyline behind 1st Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown, PA., celebrating the 249th anniversary of America’sSecond Continental Congress signing a resolution declaring the 13 original colonies’ independence from Great British, Thursday, July 3, 2025.
World War II veteran Lee Vickroy, 101, stands for “The Star-Spangled Banner” with his great-nephew Bart Vickroy by his side and surrounded by other family members before a Johnstown Mill Rats baseball game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, Pa., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Johnstown Mill Rats pitcher Gabe Bryant throws to an Alton River Dragons batter in the top of the second inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Alton River Dragons pitcher Jackson Parrill throws to a Johnstown Mill Rats batter in the bottom of the second inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Johnstown Mill Rats center fielder Nick Matson makes a catch to put out Alton River Dragons’ Sean McConache in the top of the third inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Johnstown Mill Rats’ Gustavo Gonzalez (left) dives safely back to first base on a pickoff attempt as Alton River Dragons first baseman Trevor Goodwin applies a late tag in the bottom of the third inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Fireworks light up the skyline behind 1st Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown, PA., celebrating the 249th anniversary of America’sSecond Continental Congress signing a resolution declaring the 13 original colonies’ independence from Great British, Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Fireworks light up the skyline behind 1st Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown, PA., celebrating the 249th anniversary of America’sSecond Continental Congress signing a resolution declaring the 13 original colonies’ independence from Great British, Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Fireworks light up the skyline behind 1st Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown, PA., celebrating the 249th anniversary of America’sSecond Continental Congress signing a resolution declaring the 13 original colonies’ independence from Great British, Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Galli retired three River Dragons in order to preserve a 5-4 victory in front of 4,528 fans awaiting what turned out to be a lengthy postgame fireworks display.
“I feel like I’m made for moments like that,” Galli said after recording his second save of the season. “They’re a very good team. Their record doesn’t show it, but they have the bat and ball skills. They’ve shown us tough games.”
The Mill Rats (3-3 second half) tallied four runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead 5-2.
Johnstown Mill Rats pitcher Gabe Bryant throws to an Alton River Dragons batter in the top of the second inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
JOHN RUCOSKY
But Alton (1-3) rallied late, scoring once in the seventh and threatening in the ninth, perhaps making the fans a tad nervous.
The River Dragons’ Kyle Campbell worked a leadoff walk against Johnstown reliever E.J. Lott. Alton’s Caleb Clealand singled to put runners on the corners in the ninth.
Cleanup hitter Preston Wright singled to left-center field, driving in a run to make it a one-run game.
Mill Rats manager Sean Stevens called on Galli, who pitches at Long Island University.
“Matt Galli is built for those moments, and we know what he’s capable of,” Stevens said.
“He has a Division I arm for a reason. That’s why we call on him.”
Johnstown Mill Rats’ Gustavo Gonzalez (left) dives safely back to first base on a pickoff attempt as Alton River Dragons first baseman Trevor Goodwin applies a late tag in the bottom of the third inning of a Prospect League game at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point in Johnstown, PA., Thursday, July 3, 2025.
JOHN RUCOSKY
Galli struck out Trevor Goodwin swinging – swaying momentum back to the Mill Rats.
“He’s a big bat,” Galli said. “I could tell from some tendencies from his swings. Garrett (Pancione) is a great catcher. I get to two strikes – fastball up. That’s not in his bat path. That’s where I make my money, my fastball. It worked out perfectly.”
Miles Nelson followed with a fly out to right field in foul territory.
Clealand advanced to third with the potential game-tying run.
Galli induced Alton’s Bret Yarger’s game-ending fly out to right field.
“We had pressure on us in that last inning,” said Mill Rats left fielder Brennon Seigler, whose run-scoring double sparked the four-run sixth inning. “Galli came in and shut the door. We needed that.
‘We had some clutch hits, put some runs on the board, and played some solid defense. Pretty much everything you could ask for from this team.”
The team also got everything it could ask for from the hometown fans.
“This is what we all love playing in front of,” Seigler said.
“The City of Johnstown showed out tonight, and we just wanted to come out here and give them a show.”
The River Dragons out- hit the Mill Rats 11-7, with Clealand, Wright, Nelson and Sean McConachie each collecting two hits.
Johnstown center fielder Nick Matson had a run-scoring double in the fourth. First baseman Cooper Rasmussen tripled and scored a run in the first inning. Right-handed starter Gabe Bryant (4-2) pitched six innings.
“Very big,” Seigler said of winning in front of the large crowd.
His manager agreed wholeheartedly.
“It was fantastic,” Stevens said. “The guys loved it. Who would have thought $2 beers and fireworks would have brought everybody out? I was blessed to see everybody out here. Hopefully the city is proud enough to come back and watch these guys a couple times before the end of the summer.”
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat.
He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.