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Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Jackals Lose a Thriller

August 7, 2009 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Little Falls, NJ - In a low scoring affair that featured as many twists and turns as it did runs, the New Jersey Jackals fell to the Quebec Capitales in twelve innings by a final of 4-3 at Yogi Berra Stadium on Friday night. The back and forth contest saw nine pitchers, two pinch runners and one defensive substitution and took nearly four hours to complete before Quebec emerged victorious in the first game of a three-game series.

The evening started out as a quick moving pitchers' duel with Jackals starter A.J. Wideman and Quebec rookie James Kukucka pitching brilliantly into the latter innings of the ballgame. Wideman at one point retired eleven consecutive hitters and struck out a season-high eight batters in rebounding from his first loss of the season last week. Kucucka - making his professional debut - was equally as effective on the mound, holding the Jackals scoreless through his first six innings of work.

New Jersey would finally break the scoreless tie in the bottom of the seventh. After loading the bases by issuing three straight walks to shortstop Mike DeJesus, first baseman Myron Leslie and catcher Matt Lauderdale, Kukucka was lifted for left-hander Mike Joyce. The next two batters would go down on strikes before third baseman Mike Scanzano would hit a routine groundball that was booted into left field by Quebec third baseman Pat Deschenes. The error allowed DeJesus and Leslie to score and gave the Jackals a 2-0 lead. Quebec would respond quickly in the top of the eighth though, tying the game up and setting the stage for some latter dramatics. After catcher Patrick D'Aoust line a one-out single and right fielder Sebastien Boucher struck out, the Capitales put together a two out rally to tie the game. Center fielder Goef Tomlinson singled to put runners at the corners, before second baseman Josh Colafemina and first baseman Pete LaForest deposited back-to-back RBI-singles to set the score at 2-2.

The Jackals had an opportunity to clinch the game in the bottom of the ninth when Leslie drew a leadoff walk, but Quebec reliever Jason Schutt retired the next three batters to force extra innings. After a scoreless tenth inning, the Capitales forged ahead in the top of the eleventh inning. Designated hitter Eddie Lantigua worked a one-out walk against Jackal's closer Rusty Tucker and was promptly lifted for pinch runner Douglas Toro. The move proved to be a good one as two batters later with Toro at second after a groundout by shortstop Ivan Naccarata, left fielder Alex Nunez blooped a single into shallow center that scored Toro.

Trailing 3-2 at this point, the Jackals would stage a dramatic bottom half of the inning to extend the game yet again. With right-hander Derek McDaid now on the mound for Quebec the Jackals first two batters quickly popped out in the infield. With New Jersey down to their final out, Lauderdale lined a single before being removed for pinch runner Zack Smithlin. Designated hitter Quinn Stewart would then walk and center fielder Billy Kovatch would rip a sharp liner to left that loaded the bases for New Jersey with two outs. Scanzano proved a hero again, hitting a flair that dropped in shallow right field, scoring Smithlin from third to tie the game. On that same play, Boucher fired a strike from right to D'Aoust behind the plate who held onto the baseball despite a collision with Stewart who tried to dislodge the baseball and score the winning run. Stewart was called out at the plate when D'Aoust revealed the ball was still in his hand, sending the game to the twelfth.

Left-hander Mark Suchowiecki took the mound for New Jersey in the twelfth, the Jackals fourth pitcher. After retiring Tomlinson and Colafemina on a pair of pop outs in fair territory, LaForest drew a four-pitch walk to put a runner on. With Deschenes at the plate, LaForest stole his first base of the season and scored moments later when Deschenes ripped a single past Leslie at first. McDaid would close the door on the Jackals in the bottom half of the inning, striking out two of the final three batters.

With his two innings of work in extra innings, McDaid (4-0) earned the win while Suchowiecki (0-1) took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the top of the twelfth. New Jersey is now 3-3 in extra-inning contests this season while Quebec is a perfect 4-0 and has now won 10 of their last 11 games.

New Jersey and Quebec will continue their series tomorrow night when the Jackals send right-hander Ted Serro to the mound to face Capitales' right-hander Chris Allen. Joey Whelan will have the live call of the game at www.jackals.com. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with the pre game show starting 10 minutes prior.

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