Skyhawks Settle for Series Split in Extra-Inning Loss to Jackals
Published on August 5, 2010 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Sussex Skyhawks News Release
Augusta, N.J. - August 5, 2010 - Kraig Binick went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI and Caleb Stewart rocketed a three-run homerun over the Blue Diamond sign in left field, but the Skyhawks could not protect a 6-0 lead on Thursday as they fell 7-6 in 10 innings to the New Jersey Jackals on fireworks night at CenturyLink Field at Skylands Park. After winning the first two games of a four-game set with New Jersey in a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday, Sussex dropped the final two contests to split the series.
Newly signed right-hander Jimmer Kennedy made his professional debut in Thursday's defeat as the Skyhawks starter and pitched brilliantly through the first four innings of his outing, retiring the side in order three times and allowing just one hit while fanning four. The Sussex offense rewarded him for striking out the side in the second with some early run support, scratching a run across in the bottom half of the inning on a bloop RBI single to center field by Vincent Blue.
After Kennedy retired the side in order on nine pitches in the third, Binick doubled and Carl Loadenthal walked on four pitches with two out to bring Caleb Stewart to the plate. The Can-Am League's RBI leader promptly deposited New Jersey southpaw Paul Fagan's first offering into the wooded area behind the left field wall for his ninth homerun of the season, giving the home team a 4-0 advantage.
The Jackals went down in order again in the top of the fourth, and the Skyhawks put together a two-out rally with three consecutive base hits in the home half. After Binick singled home Ryan Boelsen to make it 5-0, he was picked off first base but kept the rundown going long enough to allow Joe Persichina to sneak home from third and increase the lead to 6-0.
The tables began to turn in the fifth inning, however, when Kennedy faced his first professional jam. After surrendering a leadoff single to Carlos Sosa, the rookie walked two of the next three Jackals batters to load the bases with one out. After a mound visit from player/pitching coach Duaner Sanchez, New Jersey's Mike DeJesus looped an RBI single into center field to score Sosa and put the Jackals on the board. Adam Godwin then laced Kennedy's next pitch to left field and over the glove of a diving Binick for a three-run triple to make it 6-4.
Kennedy would escape the fifth with no further damage and leave the game after five innings in line for his first professional win. In the sixth, however, Jacob Butler's two-run homerun off of Sussex right-hander Kevin Gunter tied the game and erased the visitors' deficit.
The Jackals recorded only one hit in the remainder of regulation. The Skyhawks put the go-ahead run on second base in the eighth and the winning run on third base in the ninth, but both times New Jersey relievers induced inning-ending outs. Caleb Stewart's fly out to center field with two out in the ninth reached the warning track, but Godwin made the catch in front of the wall to send the game to extra frames.
In the tenth, Sussex left-hander Jared Locke (5-4) allowed a leadoff walk to Abraham Nunez. Later in the inning with two out and Nunez on second base, the Skyhawks elected to intentionally walk Butler to get to Kevin Clark. The Jackals right fielder came through, however, bringing home Nunez on an RBI single - the only hit Locke allowed in his three innings of work - to give the road team its first lead of the night. Right-hander Romas Hicks (1-2) stayed in for New Jersey in the bottom of the tenth and struck out the side to seal the comeback win for the Jackals.
The Skyhawks (5-12 second half, 30-33 overall) begin a six-game road trip in Quebec on Friday. After three games with the first-half champions, the team moves to Pittsfield for a three-game set with the Colonials, the current second-half leaders. First pitch of each game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Canadian American League Stories from August 5, 2010
- Jackals Overcome Early Six-run Deficit To Rally Past Skyhawks - New Jersey Jackals
- Can-Am League Recap - Can-Am
- Skyhawks Settle for Series Split in Extra-Inning Loss to Jackals - Sussex Skyhawks
- Capitales Take Two From Rox - Brockton Rox
- Skyhawks Give Away Hyundai Elantra Tonight - Sussex Skyhawks
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