Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

In Wild Finish, Jackals Win Fourth Straight

Published on June 9, 2010 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Little Falls, NJ - After leading off the bottom of the tenth inning with a pinch-hit double, Jordan Newton scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch as the New Jersey Jackals won their fourth straight decision, 8-7, over the Pittsfield Colonials on Wednesday afternoon at Yogi Berra Stadium in a rain-soaked contest that took more than four hours to complete.

The Colonials outhit the Jackals 14-9, but Pittsfield pitchers walked 12 batters and dealt out five wild pitches in the back-and-forth contest.

The Jackals took an early 2-0 lead on RBI singles by designated hitter Shawn Riggans and third baseman Abraham Nunez in the first and third innings, respectively. But Pittsfield used a run-scoring single by left fielder Rafael Cabreja in the fourth and a two-run home run by designated hitter Daniel Carte an inning later to take a 3-2 lead.

New Jersey then tied the score at 3-3 on a sacrifice fly by Nunez in the bottom of the fifth before regaining the lead in the sixth when first baseman Jabe Bergeron cleared the batters' eye in center field for his first home run with the Jackals to make it a 4-3 New Jersey advantage. In the top of the seventh though, Pittsfield put up three runs to gain a 6-4 lead behind an RBI groundout by center fielder Jerod Edmondson and a two-run single by right fielder Angel Molina.

However, the Jackals answered immediately in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs of their own on back-to-back doubles; a two-run double to the gap in right center by left fielder Jacob butler and a go-ahead RBI double down the third base line off the bat of Riggans.

With a 7-6 lead, New Jersey turned to closer Romas Hicks in the top of the ninth. But Hicks dealt a leadoff walk to shortstop Matt Nandin, and Pittsfield evened the score thanks to a Carte RBI groundout to send the game to extra innings.

Jackals' reliever Edward Rodriguez retired the Pittsfield side in the top of the tenth, and in the bottom of the frame, Newton pinch hit for catcher Scott Knazek and ripped a leadoff double to left. The next batter, center fielder Jeff Grose, advanced Newton to third with a sacrifice bunt before Newton scored on a two-out wild pitch by Shannon Sprouse, the Colonials' sixth pitcher of the contest.

Rodriguez (2-1) earned the win while Sprouse (0-1) took the loss. New Jersey reliever Mike Pontius pitched a perfect top of the eighth and has retired the last eight batters he's faced, five via strikeout. Dan Griffin started for New Jersey but did not factor in the decision after allowing three runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. Colonials starter Chance Corgan yielded three runs on three hits in 4 1/3 innings while walking five batters.

The Jackals conclude their seven-game homestand on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. when New Jersey sends right-hander Nick Asselin to the mound for his third start of the season against Pittsfield righty Miguel Flores. Cody Chrusciel has the live call on the Jackals webcast beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch at www.jackals.com.

*Jackal Bites:* The top four hitters in Pittsfield's order (Nandin, third baseman Danny Bomback, Carte, and Edmondson) went 8-for-17 and scored all seven Colonials' runs... The Jackals offense drew a season-high 12 walks in the contest... A win on Thursday will give New Jersey its first season sweep of the year... At 7-6, the Jackals are above .500 for the first time this season... Earlier in the day, the Worcester Tornadoes defeated the first-place Quebec Capitales, 5-2, ending Quebec's 10-game winning streak. New Jersey is now four games behind the Capitales in the first half standings.

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Canadian American League Stories from June 9, 2010


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