Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Jackals Win Fog-Shortened Series-Opener In First Trip To Rockland

Published on June 18, 2011 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Pomona, N.Y. - Trailing 3-0 at the end of the first inning, the New Jersey Jackals plated seven unanswered runs before a thick fog forced an early end to their debut at Provident Bank Park as they defeated the expansion Rockland Boulders 7-3 on Friday night.

The contest, which started 30 minutes late due to heavy rain throughout the lower Hudson Valley earlier in the day, went into a delay with two outs in the eighth inning immediately following a bloop two-run single to left field off the bat of Jackals' shortstop Mike DeJesus which the Rockland defense struggled to locate. The decision to finally call the game was made just before 11 p.m., roughly 50 minutes after the teams were pulled off the field.

Rockland broke through early against New Jersey starter Ryan Kulik. Following back-to-back infield singles to begin the bottom of the first inning, Vic Buttler lined a three-run home run into the short porch in right field to give the Boulders a 3-0 lead. However, that's all the offense Rockland would manager against Kulik, who stranded seven runners on base through five innings before turning the ball over to the bullpen. Kulik (1-0) picked up his first Jackals' win with Jared Locke and Steve Fox combining to toss two shutout innings of relief. Fox recorded the final two outs in the bottom of the seventh to notch his first save of the year.

Trailing 3-0, the Jackals evened the score in the third inning against Rockland starter Roger Lincoln, who took the loss to fall to 1-2. After Mike Jones reached on a one-out hit by pitch and Nick Giarraputo doubled to left, Jones scored on an infield single off the bat of Kris Sanchez. The next batter, Chris Anderson, rifled a ball between the legs of shortstop Jermel Lomack to push Giarraputo across and make it a 3-2 contest. Later in the frame, an Argenis Reyes RBI double knotted the score at 3-3.

The Jackals took their first lead of the day in the fourth inning when Giarraputo led off with his third home run of the season into the left field bleachers. In the sixth inning, Anderson's first homer of the year extended the Jackals' lead to 5-3.

That score held until the eighth inning, when Rockland reliever Brett Carroll entered in the fog, surrendered a double to Giarraputo with one out, walked Anderson with two outs, and yielded the DeJesus two-run single to cap the scoring prior to the teams being pulled off the field.

Giarraputo paced the New Jersey offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, and three runs scored.

The Jackals and Boulders continue their three-game series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. when New Jersey sends right-hander Chris Vasami (1-2, 7.71 ERA) to the mound against Rockland righty Jon Velasquez (1-2, 12.15 ERA). Cody Chrusciel has the call on the live Jackals webcast beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch at www.jackals.com.

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Canadian American League Stories from June 18, 2011


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