Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Down 7-0, Jackals Plate Eight Unanswered Runs To Stun Boulders

Published on June 4, 2011 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Little Falls, N.J. - Trailing 7-0 in the fifth inning, the New Jersey Jackals scored eight unanswered runs to rally past the Rockland Boulders, 8-7, in front of a crowd of 3,334 fans on Saturday night at Yogi Berra Stadium.

A night after the Jackals nearly overcame a 10-0 deficit, they fell behind early again on Saturday. New Jersey allowed a pair of first inning runs on RBI singles by Tommy Giles and Todd Jennings as Rockland jumped on top 2-0. The Boulders tacked on three more runs in the second on an Eric Flynn double and a two-run triple just inside third base by Smith to take a 5-0 lead. John Fitzpatrick's solo home run in the third made it 6-0 before a run-scoring single by Todd Jennings in the fourth helped Rockland open up a 7-0 advantage.

Jackals' starter A.J. Wideman lasted just four innings and allowed seven runs on 14 hits. From there though, the New Jersey bullpen yielded just one hit over five shutout innings with Mike Pontius working the fifth and sixth, Steve Fox firing a scoreless seventh and Jeff Gogal (1-1) tossing the final two frames to pick up the win.

New Jersey broke through against Rockland starter John Muller in the fifth inning when third baseman Nick Giarraputo led off with a double and scored on a two-out single up the middle by center fielder Chris White to make it 7-1. In the seventh, the Jackals cut the deficit to 7-3 on a sacrifice fly off the bat of shortstop Mike DeJesus and an RBI single by second baseman Argenis Reyes.

Muller struck out a career-high 11 batters and allowed just three runs in 6 2/3, but did not factor in the decision after the Boulders bullpen coughed up five runs in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases empty and two outs, Jeremy Slayden walked and Giarraputo was hit by a pitch. Slayden scored on a single by Kris Sanchez to make it 7-4. After a wild pitch sent Giarraputo plateward, a DeJesus single pulled the Jackals within one at 7-6. New Jersey tied the game on a passed ball before Reyes plated White with proved to be the game-winning single

Rockland reliever Michael Gardner (1-1) took the loss after facing four batters in the eighth inning and allowing two hits and two walks.

Offensively for New Jersey, Giarraputo finished 2-for-3 and crossed the plate three times while White and Reyes each added a pair of hits. For Rockland, Giles went 3-for-5 as the Boulders collected 15 hits. With the win, the Jackals are now 4-4 while the Boulders fall to 5-4.

The Jackals and Boulders play game three of their four-game series on Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. at Yogi Berra Stadium when New Jersey sends southpaw Isaac Pavlik (1-0, 3.65 ERA) to the mound against Rockland right-hander Casey Hodges (1-0, 1.13 ERA). Cody Chrusciel and Matt Sutor have the call on the live webcast beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch at www.jackals.com.

Jackal Bites: Over the first two games of the series, the New Jersey bullpen has surrendered just two runs in 13 innings... The Jackals have allowed a first-inning run in six of their first eight games this season... Nick Giarraputo has now hit safely in each of the Jackals first eight games, making him the only Jackal to do so... A.J. Wideman allowed 14 hits, three more than he had allowed in any previous start in a Jackals uniform and the most he has surrendered in a game since he gave up 15 hits on April 19, 2008 with the Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays.

The New Jersey Jackals, proud members of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, play their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium located on the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, NJ. 2011 single-game tickets, season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available by calling 973-746-7434. Visit the Jackals online at www.jackals.com.

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Canadian American League Stories from June 4, 2011


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