Surf can't complete comeback, cement playoff position
August 30, 2008 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Atlantic City Surf News Release
Atlantic City, N.J. - Sussex C Yohanny Valera went 4-for-5 with four RBI as the Skyhawks held off a late Atlantic City Surf charge to win, 9-7, in a Can-Am League game at Bernie Robbins Stadium on Friday evening.
Sussex put four runs on the board in the first inning, courtesy of a 2B Chris Brown RBI single, a two-run double by Valera, and another run on a throwing error by Atlantic City 2B Brad Thoma. The Skyhawks tacked on another three in the second on back-to-back solo home runs by DH Jorge Moreno and 1B Matthew Weston, followed by an RBI single through the left side by Valera, increasing their lead to 7-0.
The Surf scored their first run in the third inning when C William Plaza scurried home on a two-out wild pitch by Sussex starter Matt Salvato. The Skyhawks then made it an 8-1 game in the fourth on Valera's RBI single.
Atlantic City started its comeback in the sixth, when CF Josh Burrus hit a one-out single to right center, scoring LF Joe Burke. The Surf then added a pair of runs in the seventh on SS Anthony Granato's two-run home run, his team-leading 13th, putting the score at 8-4.
In the eighth, Atlantic City scored three more, courtesy of an RBI single by Granato and a two-run double by Burke, bringing the Surf within a run. Yet, Sussex responded with an insurance tally in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk to SS Kevin Rios, and Atlantic City was unable to plate any runners in their half of the frame, giving the Skyhawks their second victory in a row over the Surf.
Salvato (10-4) earned the win, giving up four runs on four hits in six and one-third innings pitched, striking out four. The righthander held Atlantic City hitless until Burrus laced a single to right field to lead off the sixth inning. Matt Petrusek earned the save for the second night in a row, his 24th of the season, tying him for the league lead. Adam Cox (7-3) had a rare difficult outing for the Surf, allowing six earned runs in one and one-third innings to take the loss
Granato, who entered the evening hitting .488 in his last 10 games, and Burke both had a pair of hits for Atlantic City, while Brown was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored for the Skyhawks, who maintain sole possession of first place in the second half with the victory.
With the loss, the Surf are guaranteed the fourth seed in the Can-Am League's playoffs, and will face the Quebec Capitales in the semifinals. Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-five series will take place in Quebec City on Wednesday, September 3 and Thursday, September 4, while games 3, 4 (if necessary) and 5 (if necessary) will be held in Atlantic City, September 5 through 7. Sussex will face Worcester in the other semifinal matchup.
The third game of the series takes place Saturday night, with Rory Shortell (10-3) the Surf's moundsman, opposed by the Skyhawks' Roger Lincoln (1-0).
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