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Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Jackals drop ninth night

July 31, 2008 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Quebec City, QC - In the teams' final meeting of the regular season, the New Jersey Jackals (4-13) fell to the Quebec Capitales (11-6) 4-2 on Thursday night at Stade Municipal. With the win, the Capitales earned the sweep in the four-game set, while the Jackals dropped their ninth consecutive decision.

For the second consecutive night, the Jackals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. With two outs against Quebec ace and Can-Am League ERA leader Luis Valdez (8-1), 1B Juan Tejeda reached on a throwing error by Capitales SS Jose Contreras. The next batter, DH Luke Allen, hammered his seventh home run of the year down the right field line.

In the bottom of the third, the Capitales got a run back to cut the Jackals lead to 2-1. With one out and a brisk wind blowing out of the park towards right field, Quebec 2B Issael Gonzalez tripled over the head of Jackals RF Marcos Rodriguez before C Patrick D'Aoust plated him with a single up the middle.

As has been the case during the Jackals current nine-game skid, one bad inning would prove lethal for New Jersey. In the fourth inning, the Capitales added to their lead with three more runs - two of which were unearned - to take a 4-2 lead. 2B Josh Colafemina doubled to begin the inning before 3B Pat Deschenes reached on an error by SS Casey Gordon to put runners on the corners with no outs. LF Eddie Lantigua followed with a two-run double down the right field line. Later in the inning, an RBI double by DH Greg Stevens extended Quebec's lead to 4-2.

Valdez, who earned the victory, left the game after the fifth inning with the Capitales leading 4-2 after allowing two unearned runs while striking out one and walking a pair of batters. For the Jackals, starter Tom Atlee (1-3) departed half an inning later when, in the top of the sixth inning, he dished out three straight two-out walks to load the bases. However, reliever Michael Vicaro came in and induced a groundout by Colafemina to end the threat. Atlee's line for the night included four runs - two earned - on seven Capitales hits. The right-hander also walked four batters and struck out three as he took the loss.

In the top of the seventh, the Jackals mounted their best scoring opportunity of the game but were unable to push any runs across against Quebec reliever Mark James. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out for the Jackals' cleanup hitter, Allen who hit into an inning ending double play as the Jackals stranded their seventh and eighth runners of the night. In the ninth inning, Quebec closer Jason Schutt continued the solid effort by the Capitales bullpen by hurling a scoreless frame to notch his tenth save of the season as Quebec downed the Jackals for the eleventh time in 13 meetings this season.

The Jackals return home on Friday night to begin a three-game series against the Ottawa Rapidz when New Jersey sends left-hander Jorge Acosta (0-2, 4.50 ERA) to the hill for his fourth start of the season against Ottawa right-hander Noel Baca (2-7, 4.26 ERA) in a game that's scheduled for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. If you can't make it out to Yogi Berra Stadium, you can catch every inning via live webcast at www.jackals.com with the broadcast beginning ten minutes prior to first pitch.

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Canadian American League Stories from July 31, 2008


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