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Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Jackals remain unbeaten

July 1, 2008 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Little Falls, NJ - 1B Juan Tejeda drove in five runs as the New Jersey Jackals improved to 6-0 this season against the Worcester Tornadoes with a 7-6 ten-inning victory on Tuesday night at Yogi Berra Stadium. The win keeps New Jersey just two games behind the first place Capitales de Quebec with nine games remaining in the first half of the Can-Am League season.

Worcester trailed 5-3 entering the ninth, but the Tornadoes struck Jackals closer Rusty Tucker for three runs to take a 6-5 lead heading to the bottom of the frame. 3B Mike MacMillan led off with a double and eventually scored on a passed ball to make it 5-4. Two batters later, CF BJ Weed laced a two-run single as Tucker blew his third save of the season. However, in the bottom of the inning, New Jersey tied the game at 6-6 when pinch runner Tommy Murphy scored on an RBI single by Tejeda to send the game to extra innings.

In the top of the tenth inning, New Jersey reliever Hunter Davis sent the Tornadoes down in order which allowed CF Zack Smithlin to score the game-winning run in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by 2B Marcus Sanders. Smithlin had led off with a single against Worcester closer John Birtwell (0-1), who blew the save in the ninth inning and took the loss in the tenth. Davis (2-2) earned the win. For the first time against the Jackals this season, the Tornadoes scored first as they plated a run in the top of the first inning. CF BJ Weed led off with a single to extend his hitting streak to a Tornadoes-record 18 games. Two batters later, 1B Chris Colabello singled Weed home to make it 1-0 Tornadoes against New Jersey starter Isaac Pavlik. The Jackals struck immediately in the bottom of the first off Worcester starter Alex Pena, who hit 3B Chris Kelly after allowing C Matt Lauderdale to reach on an error before Tejeda launched a three-run home run to put New Jersey up 3-1. The home run was Tejeda's sixth of the season.

That score held until the top of the fourth inning, when the Tornadoes tied the score 3-3 as they plated two runs on a solo home run by LF Francisco Caraballo and an RBI base hit off the bat of MacMillon. In the bottom of the seventh, the Jackals once again struck against Pena to retake the lead. With two outs, Lauderdale walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. After an intentional walk to DH Luke Allen, an RBI single by Andrew Larsen was followed by a Tejeda run-scoring double as the Jackals put two more runs on the scoreboard to take a 5-3 lead.

Tejeda continued his demolition of Worcester pitching on Tuesday night, going 3-5 with a home run, a double, and five RBIs. In six games this season against the Tornadoes, the former Phillies farmhand is 14-26 (.538) at the plate with four home runs and 13 RBIs. Both starters were effective, but neither factored into the decision. Pavlik kept the game close, lasting seven inning and allowing three runs on seven hits. Pena surrendered five runs (four earned) on six hits in seven innings.

The Jackals and Tornadoes finish their three-game series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. at Yogi Berra Stadium when Aaron Tressler takes the hill for New Jersey against Worcester's Junior Guerrero. If you can't make it out to the ballpark, 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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