Can-Am Sussex County Miners

Miners Smack Three Homers at Rockland

Published on August 28, 2015 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Sussex County Miners News Release


POMONA, NY - Jon Talley and Sergio Miranda cleared the fences at Provident Bank Park and Johnny Bladel legged it around the bases for his second inside-the-park home run of the season in a Sussex County Miners victory over the Rockland Boulders on Thursday night. The Miners (35-52) hit three home runs in a game for the first time in club history, as they defeated Rockland (56-31), 7-2.

Talley and Miranda jump-started the offense in the second inning. Talley led off the inning and he jolted a pitch from Rockland starter Fray Martinez well over the high wall in right-centerfield. The left-handed hitter's eighth homer of the year and third as a Miner put Sussex County in front, 1-0.

Two batters later, Miranda, batting left-handed, hit a high fly ball that easily cleared the short wall in right field and hit an umbrella in the picnic area to give the Miners a 2-0 lead. Miranda did not return to the field in the bottom of the second inning and exited the game. Brady Wilson came in to play left and bat for Miranda and Bladel moved to second base for the rest of the game.

Bladel contributed his round-tripper much later in the ballgame. The Miners led 4-2 when Bladel came to the plate in the seventh inning with Jamal Austin on second base and nobody out. Bladel hit a high fly ball down the right field line and Boulders right fielder Joe Maloney raced after it. Maloney dive, but could not make the catch and stayed down on the ground as the ball rolled into the Rockland bullpen. Austin scored from second and Bladel circled the bases uncontested for his second inside-the-park home run of the season to give Sussex County a 6-2 lead. Maloney eventually stood up under his own power and remained in the game.

Jared McDonald provided the Boulders with a highlight moment. Rockland's leadoff hitter entered the game riding a 50-game on-base streak. McDonald was tied with Bill Peavey of the 2005 New Haven County Cutters for the Can-Am League record and had the chance to break it against the Miners. McDonald was 0-for-3 entering the seventh inning and Miners starter Francisco Rodriguez came within a strike of punching out the left-handed hitter. McDonald, however, lined a fastball into left field for a single and broke the record, reaching base safely for his 51st consecutive game.

Joe Maloney also provided a near record-tying performance. He hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to score his 82nd run of the season. Maloney is now one run away from tying Rob

Fischer of the 2005 North Shore Spirit for the most runs scored in a Can-Am League season.

Maloney's homer was the only earned run that Rodriguez (4-0) gave up all game. The lefty made his fourth start as a Miner and picked up his fourth victory with 6.2 strong innings. Aside from the homer, Rodriguez allowed just one other run, an unearned tally in the third inning, as the Miners committed two errors in the frame. The rookie left-hander gave up just seven hits. Rodriguez struck out four of the first six batters he faced and finished with six punch-outs.

Martinez (3-2) took his second loss as a starter in his sixth appearance since joining the Boulders' rotation. The right-hander worked into the seventh, but could not record an out and was pulled from the game after Bladel's inside-the-park homer. Martinez gave up six runs, five earned, on 11 hits. He walked two, hit a batter and struck out three.

Just like Sussex County did with Miranda, the Boulders also suffered an injury to their second baseman. Ray Frias appeared to be in discomfort after touching first base on a fifth-inning single. He did not play the field in the sixth. Stefen Henderson replaced Frias in the lineup the rest of the way and left fielder Steve Nyisztor moved to second base.

The Miners remain alive in the playoff hunt and will face Rockland again on Friday night at Skylands Stadium. Sussex County hosts the Boulders Friday and Saturday, before the clubs return to Pomona, NY on Sunday. First pitch on Friday night is scheduled for 7:05 PM.

Check out the Sussex County Miners Statistics

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Canadian American League Stories from August 28, 2015


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