Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Leverton Dominant Again as Jackals Hold off Late Rockland Rally

July 19, 2011 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Pomona, N.Y. - The Rockland Boulders (20-29) scored four unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the New Jersey Jackals (29-21) held on for a 5-4 victory on a warm Tuesday night at Provident Bank Park. The contest ended when Jackals' left fielder Leonard Davis gunned down Rockland's Ryde Rodriguez at second base on a two-run single that pulled the Boulders within one.

New Jersey starter James Leveron (7-3) won for the sixth time in his last seven starts, limiting the Boulders to just five singles over eight shutout innings.

The Jackals opened the scoring in the top of the fourth when Davis laced a one-out double off the bottom of the left field wall before scoring two batters later on a double to right center by Nick Giarraputo to make it 1-0. An RBI single by Kris Sanchez gave New Jersey a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth, Sanchez struck again when he lined a two-run home run, his sixth of the season, into the short porch in right field to extend the New Jersey advantage to 4-0.

The Jackals plated their fifth and final run in the top of the eighth on a balk by reliever Brett Carroll.

Trailing 5-0 entering the bottom of the ninth inning, the Boulders rallied against reliever Stephen Fox. With one out, cleanup hitter Jeremy Slayden lined a single to right. The next batter, Cristobal Santana, reached on an error by the Jackals' third baseman, Giarraputo, before Norm Hutchins beat out an infield single to load the bases with one out. After Joe Hage struck out for the second out of the frame, Ryan Mollica laced a two-run double over the third base bag to make it a 5-2 contest. The next man up, Rodriguez, grounded a ball just out of Giarraputo's reach to plate two more runs and cut the Boulders' deficit to 5-4, but Rodriguez was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single into a double when Davis fired a strike to Jackals' second baseman Argenis Reyes, who applied the tag to end the game.

Rockland starter Jon Velasquez (3-4) took the loss after surrendering four runs on seven hits over seven innings. Velasquez, who threw 120 pitches in the losing effort, has allowed 13 earned runs over 17 1/3 innings in three starts against New Jersey this season.

Offensively for New Jersey, Davis and Giarraputo each picked up three hits while Sanchez went 2-for-4. Shortstop Mike DeJesus added his 12th double of the season in the first inning.

The Jackals and Boulders shift their four-game series to Yogi Berra Stadium on Wednesday morning at 11:05 a.m. when New Jersey sends southpaw Jon Kibler (0-2, 6.32 ERA) to the mound against Rockland right-hander Will Hassett (2-4, 3.91 ERA) in the series finale. The game will mark the opener of a five-game homestand for the Jackals. Cody Chrusciel and Matt Sutor have the call on the live webcast beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch at jackals.com.

Jackal Bites: The Jackals, who have won seven of 10 meetings with Rockland this season, are 20-3 when scoring first... Ryan Mollica's ninth-inning double was Rockland's first extra-base hit of the series, which New Jersey now leads 3-2... Kris Sanchez has homered five times in 15 games this month... In 10 contests against Rockland this season, 11 of Leonard Davis' 16 hits have gone for extra bases.

The New Jersey Jackals, proud members of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, play their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium located on the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, NJ. 2011 single-game tickets, season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available by calling 973-746-7434. Visit the Jackals online at www.jackals.com.

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