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Can-Am Brockton Rox

Brockton spoils sensational start from Quebec's Mariotti

August 19, 2011 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Brockton Rox News Release


(Brockton, Mass.) -

Keith Brachold's walk-off two-run homer in the 14th inning powered the Brockton Rox (20-11, 46-31) over the Quebec Capitales (17-13, 52-24) by a final of 4-2 on Thursday night at Campanelli Stadium.

Chris Valencia

reached on a single in the bottom of the 14th to start the Brockton rally. Valencia swiped second for his league-leading 36th stolen base of the season to put a runner in scoring position for Brachold with two outs.

The rightfielder proceeded to smash a

Rayner Oliveros

(2-3) fastball over the fence in right-centerfield for the walk-off round-tripper. The pair of runs driven in by Brachold gives him 70 RBIs on the season, which is tied for the most in single-season franchise history.

Quebec had control of this one in the early-going, as the Capitales tallied a pair of runs in the second inning when

Goefrey Tomlinson

ripped a two-run double to rightfield, giving Quebec a 2-0 lead.

The Capitales rattled off seven hits in total against Rox starter

John Kelly,

who allowed two runs (one earned) while striking out five in five and 1/3 innings of work.

Meanwhile,

John Mariotti

was dominant on the mound for Quebec. The righthander was perfect through the first six frames, and finally allowed his first base-runner in the seventh when Valencia reached on a lead-off single.

In that same inning, Valencia came around to score on a

Mike Torres

double, giving Brockton their first run of the ballgame. That was followed by an RBI single from

Melvin Falu

that plated Torres and knotted the game at two.

Mariotti allowed just two runs on three hits in eight innings, while walking none and striking out six.

After the Rox tied things up in the seventh, the game turned into the battle of the bullpens. For Quebec,

Dexter Bobo,

Jeff Duda, and

T.J. Stanton

combined to allow just one hit and two walks over the next five frames. Duda worked the majority of those frames, tossing a season-high three and 2/3 innings.

Brockton would use their entire bullpen in relief of Kelly, as

Brad Hertzler,

Jimmer Kennedy,

Mark Rosen,

Jake Hale,

Jack VanLeur, and

Zach Woods

combined to allow just five hits and four walks in the final eight and 2/3 innings.

Hale was particularly impressive, conceding just two walks while striking out four in a season-high three innings of work.

Zach Woods

(1-1) notched his first victory of the season for Brockton after retiring the final two Quebec batters in the top of the 14th.

Neither team posed much of a threat offensively throughout the final frames, until Brachold's bomb broke the stalemate. The homer for Brachold was his team-leading 17th of the season.

Valencia finished the night 2-for-5 with two runs, while Torres also had a pair of hits in the ballgame.

The Capitales scattered 12 hits in the game. Tomlinson,

Mitch Delaney, and

Josh Colafemina

all had multi-hit games for Quebec.

With the win, Brockton now holds sole possession of first place in the Can-Am League second half standings, and is just six and a half games behind the Capitales for first place in the overall standings.

The Rox are back in action on Friday night at Campanelli Stadium against Worcester, while Quebec heads home to host the Pittsfield Colonials.

Brockton will send LHP

Dustin Birosak

(7-1, 2.77) to the mound on Friday to face RHP

Kevin Cooper

(5-3, 4.95) for the first of three games with the Tornadoes at 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Brockton Rox Statistics



Canadian American League Stories from August 19, 2011


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