Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Jackals Lose in the Ninth

Published on July 26, 2007 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Little Falls, NJ - The Can-Am Grays continued to drive the proverbial knife deeper and deeper into the Jackals heart as they rallied in the ninth inning to defeat tha Jackals, 3-2.

Josh Brey was on the mound for the Jackals and he was nothing short of spectacular. Through seven innings of work, Brey held the Grays to just three hits and one run while striking out five.

Fontella Jones opposed Brey on the mound for the Grays and he was equally as effective. In 6.2 innings, Jones allowed just two hits and two runs.

The Jackals scored in the top of the first inning after Jones hit the first two batter and walked the third. Third baseman Wilton Veras drove in right fielder Francisco Leandro on a sacrifice fly, but for the second night in a row the Jackals squandered a golden opportunity in the early innings.

Despite the Jackals having a run, neither team had recorded a hit until the fifth inning when Jackals center fielder Zack Smithlin ripped a single. Coincidentally, the Grays would not only record their first hit of the game in the fifth but also their first run. Right fielder Anthony Bennet singled in third baseman Ben Tinius, tying the game 1-1.

The Jackals scored in the seventh inning on an RBI fielders choice by Smithlin, scoring short stop Guillermo Reyes.

The game entered the bottom of the ninth with the Jackals winning 2-1. In most cases this season manager Joe Calfapietra would have turned to closer Rusty Tucker, but since Tucker was purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in the day, he had to turn to new closer Justin Garza. In Garza's first save opportunity of the season he allowed three hits, as well as the tying and winning runs.

The game was tied in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single by second baseman Mike Pierre. First baseman Jose Velasquez, who had doubled to lead off the inning, came around to score. Two batters later the Grays earned the victory on a walk off RBI single by Bennett, scoring Tinius.

Garza suffered the loss for New Jersey while Tony O'Donnell took the win for the Grays.

The loss was the fifth straight for New Jersey and the third time in those five games that a tie or lead was lost in the bottom of the ninth.

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Canadian American League Stories from July 26, 2007


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