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Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Frazier Leads Skyhawks Charge As Jackals Fall 9-7

August 8, 2008 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Augusta, NJ - In a game with early playoff implications, the Sussex Skyhawks (12-13) defeated the New Jersey Jackals (10-15) 9-7 in game one of a three-game series on Friday night at Skylands Park. With the loss, the Jackals fall two games behind Sussex in the overall standings with 22 games remaining in the regular season.

The Jackals wasted no time jumping out to an early lead when SS Bryant Nelson connected for a solo home run to dead center field with one out in the first inning. Nelson's third home run in four days, and his fourth overall on the season, gave New Jersey a 1-0 advantage.

That score held until the Skyhawks posted a four-run bottom of the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. CF Ron Perodin and SS Kevin Rios began the inning with back-to-back singles. Later in the inning with one out, a walk to 1B Matt Weston loaded the bases for 2B Chris Brown, who deposited a three-run bases-clearing double to the left center field gap. The next batter, LF Alex Frazier, laced a ground-rule double to right field which plated Brown.

After the Jackals cut the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI fielder's choice by RF Marcos Rodriguez, the Skyhawks countered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by 1B Matt Weston to make it a 5-2 game. However, the Jackals pulled within one at 5-4 in the top of the fifth inning on consecutive two-out RBI singles by 1B Juan Tejeda and DH Luke Allen.

That was as close as New Jersey would get as Sussex began to pull away in the bottom of the sixth. With one out and the bases empty, Skyhawks RF Jorge Moreno blasted his tenth home run of the season to left field to put Sussex up 6-4. The next batter, Weston, followed by launching his league-leading 16th long ball of the season to right to extend the lead to 7-4. Later in the inning, Frazier struck again with a two-run double as Sussex took a 9-4 lead into the top of the seventh.

Still, the Jackals refused to surrender as they plated two runs in the top of the seventh on Tejeda's team-high tenth home run of the season to cut the deficit to 9-6. In the eighth inning, the Jackals loaded the bases courtesy of three straight two-out walks surrendered by reliever Jaime Douglas before closer Matt Petrusek entered and walked in the seventh run of the game to cut the lead to 9-7. With the bases still loaded and two outs, Petrusek stopped the bleeding by inducing a groundout by Nelson to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Petrusek struck out the Jackals' side to earn his 16th save of the season. Skyhawks starter Kyle Ruwe (10-4) picked up the win despite allowing six runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. Jackals right-hander Aaron Tressler (3-7) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs - four earned - on six hits in 3 2/3 innings. For Tressler, it marked the first time in his last eight starts that the State College, PA native failed to work at least six innings.

For Sussex, Frazier and Brown led the way at the plate. Frazier finished the night 4-5 with three RBIs, while Brown drove in three runs in a 2-5 night at the plate. For the Jackals, Tejeda went 2-5 with two RBIs.

The Jackals and Skyhawks continue their three-game series on Saturday night at 5:00 p.m. when New Jersey sends right-hander Michael Vicaro (5-3, 6.20 ERA) to the mound against Sussex righty Matt Salvato (7-3, 5.53 ERA). If you can't make it out to Skylands Park, you can catch every inning via live webcast at www.jackals.com with the broadcast beginning five minutes prior to first pitch.

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Canadian American League Stories from August 8, 2008


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