KINSTON, N.C. (August 1, 2026) – Colby Backus drove in four runs, and the Down East Bird Dawgs pulled away with a four-run seventh inning to defeat the Tri-City ValleyCats 12-7 at Historic Grainger Stadium Saturday night, winning their second consecutive game and improving to 30-41 on the season.

Tri-City grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on a Mike Campagna RBI single before Jacob Corson answered with a two-run homer in the bottom half to put Down East ahead 2-1.

The ValleyCats tied it in the fourth on a Campagna RBI groundout before the Bird Dawgs responded with RBI singles from Corson and Danell Figueroa to make it 4-2.

A Brayden Jobert two-run homer tied it again at 4-4 in the fifth before Backus doubled in a run and scored on an error in the sixth to put Down East back in front 6-4.

Two bases-loaded walks tied it at 6-6 in the seventh, but the Bird Dawgs immediately responded with four more as Kalae Harrison doubled home two, Backus added a sacrifice fly, and Kenny Levari drew a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 10-6.

Jobert hit a ground-rule double in the eighth to pull Tri-City within four before Backus added a two-run double to close out the 12-7 final.

Jace Miner allowed four runs — three earned — on six hits over 4⅔ innings with six strikeouts and four walks. Zac Flontek (4-1) earned the win, allowing one run on one hit over 1⅔ innings with three strikeouts and two walks.

Arlo Marynczak started for Tri-City, allowing five earned runs on eight hits over six innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. Lucas Gordillo (1-2) took the loss, surrendering four runs on four hits over one inning with one strikeout and two walks.

The Bird Dawgs (30-41) look for a series split in the finale Sunday, August 1, at 4 p.m. against the ValleyCats at Historic Grainger Stadium.