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Can-Am Brockton Rox

Smith And Valencia Team Up To Sweep Tornadoes

August 11, 2010 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Brockton Rox News Release


Worcester, Mass. - Rox starting RHP Mike Smith became the first pitcher in the league to ten wins and CF Chris Valencia had his second-straight four-hit affair as Brockton swept the Worcester Tornadoes, 7-3, on Wednesday night at Hanover Insurance Park.

The Rox (13-9 second half, 40-29 overall) have won six consecutive games and are 11 games above .500 for the first time this season. Smith (10-3) went six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks and a season-high ten strikeouts. His earned run average stayed at 2.99, second in the league, and now he leads the circuit with 88 strikeouts.

The Tornadoes (11-12, 30-40) scored first for the first time in the series with an unearned run in the second inning as Brockton committed two errors in the frame. LF Ryan Crespi hit a sacrifice fly to score C Alex Trezza who had singled with one out.

Worcester took a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning on a single by 1B Chris Colabello and a double from CF Danny Santiesteban. Colabello was thrown out at the plate to end the inning on a relay throw from SS Dominic Ramos as C Chris Grossman successfully blocked the plate.

Brockton then catapulted into the lead in the sixth, scoring four runs on five hits. 3B Phillip Cuadrado brought home the first two with a single. LF Mike Conroy added an RBI double while Valencia brought home the final man with a single.

Two more came home for the Rox in the seventh on another RBI single by Cuadrado as he finished the series with 11 runs batted in. Cuadrado eventually scored on an error by Worcester 3B Mark Minicozzi.

After Smith departed the ballgame for Brockton with a 1-2-3 sixth inning, the bullpen pitched three perfect innings. LHP Brad Hertzler went two with one strikeout and RHP Hunter Davis pitched the ninth. It took just 38 pitches for the Rox pitching staff to retire the final 12 men of the game.

Worcester starting RHP Justin Knoff (2-2) suffered the loss after going the first five innings scoreless, but he allowed the four runs and five hits in the sixth inning. He gave up a total of ten hits in 5.1 innings with two walks and six strikeouts.

Valencia finished 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI, and finished the series going 10-for-16. 1B Melvin Falu, Brachold, Conroy all checked in with multi-hit games as every man in the lineup reached base for the second time in three nights.

Along with his 11 RBI in the series, Cuadrado ended up going 7-for-10 in the three contests, and he has 16 runs driven in the last six games. Brockton finished the series scoring a total of 32 runs on 55 hits.

Brockton will continue its seven-game road trip with the first of four tomorrow night with the Pittsfield Colonials at Wahconah Park. The Rox just swept a three-game series this past weekend against Pittsfield and are 12-3 against the Colonials on the season. LHP Mike Wlodarczyk (8-3) will battle Pittsfield starting RHP Kyle Zaleski (7-3) in a rematch of last Saturday night's affair. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

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Canadian American League Stories from August 11, 2010


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