Sports stats



Can-Am Brockton Rox

Smith And Blevins Duel Again; Rox Win Opener 4-3

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


(Brockton, Mass. - August 4, 2011) - Like a title fight going into the next round, respective staff aces, Mike Smith (8-4) and Bobby Blevins (5-6) battled for the third time this season as the Brockton Rox (12-6, 38-26) came out on top of the Rockland Boulders (7-10, 26-37) 4-3 to open a four game series.

Smith lasted seven frames in the victory, allowing just two runs on six hits, while walking two and striking out three. Both runs came across for the Boulders in the seventh on a two-run single by Mike Richard that plated Cole Kraft and Ray Stokes, who had reached on a hit by pitch and a walk respectively.

Blevins went a complete eight innings in the loss, giving up four runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out three.

The Rox did all of their offensive damage in the fifth frame, scoring four runs on four hits to take a 4-0 lead. Chris Grossman slapped a single with one out and Dan Barbero followed with a base hit. A wild pitch, a Tucker Nathans ground out RBI and a run-scoring single by Alex Sumner put two runs on the board, before Chris Valencia's two-run blast capped the rally.

Jack VanLeur pitched a perfect eighth for Brockton before making way for closer Jake Hale in the ninth. Hale allowed a run on two hits in the final frame, but still locked down his tenth save of the season to preserve the win for Smith.

Smith and Blevins had dueled twice in 2011, with Blevins taking the first win and Smith the second, before the match up at Campanelli Stadium. Both of the previous contests were swift affairs, lasting two hours and five minutes and two hours and 18 minutes respectively, but Thursday night's game clocked in at a lightning quick two hours and four minutes. It is the third fastest home game in Rox history and the second fastest this season, besting the June 16 meeting by just one minute.

Game two Friday night will feature righthander Freddy Flores (5-5, 4.35) taking on southpaw Ryan Knippschild (0-1, 7.62). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. with a postgame fireworks spectacular to follow the action on the field.

Check out the Brockton Rox Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Canadian American League message board...

Canadian American League Stories from August 4, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central