Ambassadors Win Wild One over Jackals, 9-7

Published on August 10, 2003 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Allentown Ambassadors News Release


The Allentown Ambassadors scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come from behind and beat the New Jersey Jackals 9-7 Sunday afternoon in Allentown.

The Ambassadors got out to a 4-0 lead after two innings, getting a run in the first inning when Marlon Roche grounded out, scoring Ender Gonzalez. In the second, the Ambassadors continued the attack on New Jersey ace Joel Bennett when Jorge Diaz singled with one out. Diaz stole second but Jason Williams would strike out for the second out of the inning. Ben Rosenthal was then hit by a pitch, followed by a Cedrick Harris double to score Diaz. Gonzalez then singled, driving in two to make it 4-0.

Meanwhile Ambassador pitcher Nolan Fry was cruising along until the fifth, when he gave up a solo home run to Keith Maxwell, his eighth. Then in the sixth, the Jackals scored three and had a runner thrown at the plate as well. Kevin Grijak began the inning with a bloop single, then after a Travis Bailey flyout, Scott Samuels singled and Scott McKee singled. Grijak was thrown out at the plate by Greg Schmidt on McKee's hit. But Chris Rowan then tripled to right center to drive in two, followed by a Maxwell RBI single to tie the game.

John Boker came in to pitch the seventh and after getting one out, Darren Blakely hit a solo home run to right-center to give the Jackals the lead. It was Blakely's thirteenth home run of the season. New Jersey would add another run to take a 6-4 lead.

The Ambassadors got a run in the seventh, with a two out walk to Roche follwed by back-to-back singles from Brian Macchi and Greg Schmidt. Then it all fell apart for New Jersey in the eighth. Chris Keelin began the inning by walking Williams. Then Rosenthal hit a beautiful bunt single past a hard charging Maxwell at third base. Cedrick Harris followed with a bunt that Keelin fielded, but threw into right field. Williams scored on the play to tie the game and Rosenthal and Harris were at second and third. Gonzalez would then walk to load the bases, and Vic Davilla hit a sacrifice fly to give the Ambassadors the lead. Harris and Gonzlalez took off with Roche at the plate, and the throw from catcher Scott McKee to second base was into center field, allowing Harris to score and moving Gonzalez to third. The Ambassadors then successfully executed a suicide squeeze to score Gonzalez and make it 9-6.

But the Jackals would not go quietly in the ninth. Craig Conway walked off Phil Brassington to start the inning, then after Blakely lined out to right, Grijak and Bailey had back-to-back singles to score Grijak. Carlos Gomez came in and got Samuels to ground into a fielder's choice. With runners at first and third, Gomez faked to third and picked off Samuels, who took off for second on the play, to end the game.

Boker picked up the win, he is now 1-3. Keelin took the loss and is 2-3. Gomez got his third save and his second in two days. Gonzalez finished the game 3-4 with a double, two runs scored, two RBI, and a stolen base. Grijak was 4-5 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in defeat. With the win, the Ambassadors took three of four from the Jackals over the weekend and are now 11-17. New Jersey is 13-4. The Ambassadors begin a three game series in Brockton tomorrow night with Chris Kelly taking the mound for Allentown.

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Canadian American League Stories from August 10, 2003


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