Can-Am New Jersey Jackals

Surging Jackals Strike Early and Often in 11-3 Win over Worcester

Published on June 16, 2010 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Worcester, Mass. - Jacob Butler homered for the fourth straight game and starter Dan Griffin turned in six solid innings as the New Jersey Jackals scored a season-high 11 runs on their way to an 11-3 win over the Worcester Tornadoes on Wednesday night at Hanover Insurance Park. The victory was the Jackals' seventh in their last nine contests.

Six Jackals recorded multiple hits with designated hitter Kevin Clark led the charge in a 3-for-4 night at the plate. Shortstop Mike DeJesus and first baseman Jabe Bergeron each drove in three runs with DeJesus lacing his first homer of the season in the fifth inning.

Griffin (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits in six frames while striking out a season-high six batters with just one walk to notch his first victory of the season in his fourth start. The right-hander threw 62 of his 89 pitches for strikes. Isaac Pavlik chipped in a scoreless seventh while rookie Jairo Mendez allowed one run over the final two frames. For the Tornadoes, rookie Matt Giusti (1-3) started and surrendered eight runs on 10 hits over 5 2/3 innings.

The Jackals scored early and often as Clark led off the first inning with a double before coming plateward on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Abraham Nunez. Later in the frame, DeJesus deposited a two-out RBI single to left to make it 2-0 New Jersey. Worcester plated a run in the bottom of the frame to cut it to 2-1 after one when catcher Alex Trezza rifled a one-out single through the right side to score left fielder Billy Cather, who had reached on an infield single to begin the inning.

But in the third, Butler displayed his power once again. After catcher Jordan Newton reached base on a passed ball after a strikeout, the Jackals' left fielder hit a towering homer to center to give New Jersey a 4-1 advantage.

Worcester used a solo homer to center field by designated hitter Craig Maddox with two outs in the fourth to cut its deficit to 4-2, but New Jersey scored the game's next six runs to pull away. With Bergeron aboard in the fifth, DeJesus ripped a no-out homer just inside the right field foul pole to make it 6-2 before Bergeron's two-run, two-out double to right an inning later gave the Jackals an 8-2 advantage. Center fielder Jeff Grose's seventh-inning sacrifice fly made it 9-2 and an eighth-inning RBI fielders' choice by Bergeron helped the Jackals to an eight-run lead at 10-2.

Worcester scored a run in the eighth before New Jersey plated the final run of the day on a ninth-inning double play.

The Jackals (10-8) and Tornadoes (7-10) conclude their three-game series on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. at Hanover Insurance Park when New Jersey sends right-hander Nick Asselin (1-2, 4.26 ERA) to the mound against Worcester righty John Kelly (1-0, 1.42 ERA). Cody Chrusciel has the live call on the Jackals webcast beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch at www.jackals.com.

Jackal Bites: The eight-run win marked New Jersey's largest margin of victory this season... Kevin Clark stole three bases to take over the Can-Am League lead from Sussex outfielder Kraig Binick... DeJesus's three RBIs doubled his total from the first 17 games of the season... Butler has driven in 13 runs in nine games for New Jersey... Jackals' pitchers have fanned 28 batters and walked just three in the first two games of the series... Butler's fifth long ball of the season despite missing the first nine games with an injury ties him with Brockton outfielder Keith Brachold for the league lead... After Tuesday night's 7-4 win, New Jersey has emerged victorious in its first two meetings with Worcester this season... With Quebec also winning on Wednesday, the second-place Jackals remain five games behind the first-place Capitales. Quebec visits New Jersey for a three-game weekend series beginning Friday night.

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Canadian American League Stories from June 16, 2010


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