Boulders Score Early and Often, Hold on for 5-1 Win
June 17, 2012 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release
Ryan Bicondoa took the mound Sunday trying to help the Tornadoes accomplish something they had done just once all season. But the Rockland Boulders scored five times in five innings against Bicondoa en route to a 5-1 win and a series victory over the Tornadoes at Provident Bank Park Sunday.
Boulders first baseman Ryan Scoma continued his torrid start to the season with a 2-for-4 day and three RBI. Scoma and Keith Brachold (2-for-4, 3 runs and an RBI) combined for almost all the damage against Bicondoa in his first start off the disabled list. Bicondoa pitched in and out of trouble throughout most of his five innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and three walks. After giving up two runs apiece in the first and third innings, Bicondoa pitched a perfect fourth before getting into to trouble in the fifth. Bicondoa allowed two hits and a walk to load the bases with two outs before walking in Jonathan Smith to make it 5-0; the veteran righty got himself out of further trouble with a five pitch strikeout to Landis Wilson to end his outing.
Mike Gedman and Mike Mullen combined for three scoreless innings of relief to keep the Tornadoes within striking distance. Gedman went two innings allowing a hit and striking out two, while Mullen walked one in an inning of work.
Brendon Kelliher recorded the sole RBI for the Tornadoes, while Nick Salotti and Chris Torres each went 2-for-4 on the day.
Rockland jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning behind big hits from Brachold and Scoma. After Qualon Millender (3-for-5 with two runs) singled with one out, Brachold hit a double to plate Millender and came into score from third on a Scoma single with two outs.
In the third inning, the Boulders doubled their lead on another big hit from Scoma. WIth the bases loaded and one out, Scoma knocked in a pair of runners with a single to give the home team a 4-0 lead.
The Tornadoes would score their lone run of the game in the top of the fifth inning. After three perfect innings in the first four, the Tornadoes finally got to Rockland pitcher Dan Jurik. Alex Trezza led off with a single and moved all the way to third on a double from Nick Salotti. Two batters later, Brendon Kelliher singled to score Trezza, but that's as much as the Tornadoes would get as Jurik retired the next two batters. Trezza scored a run in the fourth or fifth innings of every game over the weekend.
Jurik earned the win by throwing six and a-third innings of one-run ball on just seven hits. The right-hander struck out five Tornadoes to earn his second victory of 2012.
Worcester would put two runners on in the seventh and ninth innings, but Tony Patane grounded into a double-play to end the seventh and Chris Rubio got himself out of a jam with a harmless flyout to end the game.
With the loss, the Tornadoes have now lost seven of eight series they've played on the season.
The Tornadoes will be back in action Monday when they play at Quebec at 7:05 p.m. Dan Sausville will make his first career start against his former team in Quebec, with the Tornadoes PreGame Show beginning at 6:50 p.m.
Canadian American League Stories from June 17, 2012
- Can-Am League Game Recaps - Can-Am
- Capitales Rally Late, Maintain First Place Over Jackals - New Jersey Jackals
- Boulders Take Down Tornadoes 5-1 in Father's Day Matinee - New York Boulders
- Boulders Score Early and Often, Hold on for 5-1 Win - Worcester Tornadoes
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