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Can-Am Brockton Rox

Rox Sweep Jackals, Lock Down Final Playoff Spot

September 4, 2011 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Brockton Rox News Release


(**Brockton**, **Mass.** - September 4, 2011) - * The Brockton Rox (51-42, 25-22) had to wait until the final game of the regular season to celebrate a playoff berth as they completed a sweep of the New Jersey Jackals (57-36, 30-16) 6-2 Sunday afternoon to clinch the fourth and final spot in the Can-Am League post season.

*Freddy **Flores** *(7-9) stepped up in his first start since being placed on the disabled list at the end of August and earned the victory, lasting through five gutsy innings. Flores allowed two runs on six hits, while walking three and striking out six and also stranded eight Jackals on base.

New Jersey left 16 men on base and nine in scoring position, while plating just two runs on an RBI single by *Mike Richard *in the second and a run-scoring hit* *from *D'Angelo Jimenez *in the fifth.

*Chris Anderson *had a game high three hits for the Jackals and scored a run.

The Brockton bats got to work early against *Jairo Mendez *(0-1) in the spot starter's first Can-Am League appearance of 2011. *Chris Valencia *singled to lead off the first frame and that was followed by a *Mike Torres *triple and a *Keith Brachold *sac fly, giving the Rox an immediate 2-0 lead.

Brachold's RBI was his 80th of the season, which leads the league.

The Rox batted around in the fourth, chasing Mendez (3.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 2 K), scoring four runs on five hits, with RBIs from *Shawn Williams*, *Dominic Ramos*, *Chris Grossman* and Valencia.

Four Rox had two hits in the game for a total of eleven in the series finale and 46 in the three game set.

The Jackals bullpen was untouched in four and 2/3 innings of relief behind Mendez, but *Melvin Falu *did snap a streak of 22 straight retired by *Kyle Gunderson *with a leadoff single in the eighth.

*Jake Loye *tossed three and 1/3 scoreless frames out of the bullpen for Brockton to bridge the gap from Flores to *Mark Rosen *and *Jake Hale *in the ninth.

The sweep of the Jackals was the first of the 2011 campaign against New Jersey and it notched the 51st win of the season for Brockton. The Rox have won 50 or more games for three straight seasons, marking a franchise record.

The win in the regular season finale earns the Rox a trip to Quebec City for the first two games of a best-of-five series, with first pitch in game one set for 7:05 p.m. Wednesday. Rookie *Zach Woods *(2-1, 1.17) will try to become the first pitcher in Rox history to win a post season game at Le Stade Municipal and will be opposed by the league's leader in ERA, *Bryan Rembisz *(9-1, 2.56).

All of the Rox playoff action can be listened to on AM 1460 WXBR with the Voice of the Rox, *Josh Rogol* and also online at www.brocktonrox.com. Brockton returns home for game three of the series at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Campanelli Stadium. For playoff ticket information call the Rox Box Office at (508) 559-7070.

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