Tornado stop slide
July 14, 2006 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release
WORCESTER, MA- With only two games remaining before the All-Star break, the Tornadoes ended a four game losing streak, defeating the Quebec Capitales 7-2 in the second game of a three game series. Making his fourth start of the season, Greg Montalbano went five strong innings allowing only one run on three hits. Reliever Alex Pena was brilliant in his four innings of work, completely shutting down the Capitales, as Pena struck out six of the first ten hitters he faced. On the offensive side, the Tornadoes were paced by All-Star Josh Beauregard, who went 4-for-4 on the night, and Chris Colabello who hit a titanic homerun.
The Tornadoes struck first in the bottom half of the second inning. After the Capitales starting pitcher Gabe Ribas retired Onix Mercado to begin the inning on a fly out to left field, Miles Page and Jeff Lahair both followed with base hits. Struggling to find the plate, Ribas then hit Austin Wasserman with a pitch that was up and in. With the bases loaded and one out, Jared Lemieux strolled to the plate with the chance to break the game wide open. However, Lemieux was unable to deliver, as he flew out to shallow left, resting all the Tornadoes' hopes on the shoulders of Lucas Taylor. Taylor worked the count before drawing walk, scoring Page. Josh Beauregard followed with a well-placed bloop single that fell in front of the right fielder Nestor Smith, knocking in both Lahair and Wasserman, but was throw out trying to advance to second ending the inning.
While Montalbano limited Quebec to only two base runners through three innings, the Capitales touched up the Tornadoes' lefty for a run in the top of the fourth inning. Jump starting the Capitales' attack, Eddie Lantigua hooked a pitch on the outside corner to left field for the team's first hit of the night. Montalbano appeared to have induced a tailor-made double play ball on the next hitter Smith, but Lahair bobbled the ball, as he tried to make the play on the backhand. The Capitales good fortune continued with the next hitter Bud Woodruff, who found the hole between third basemen Lahair and shortstop Wasserman for an infield single. With the Capitales threatening, the veteran Montalbano maintained his composure and was able to limit the damage, allowing only one run to score. Montalbano retired Olivier Lepine on an RBI groundout and then punctuated his outing by striking out the last hitter he would face on the night, Simon Legare to end the inning.
Worcester wasted little time in responding to the Capitales lone run in the fourth inning, as Keith Beauregard laced a Ribas' offering down the right field line. The right fielder Smith had trouble digging the ball out of the corner, allowing Beauregard to reach third for his league leading sixth triple of the season. Beauregard would come around to score on wild pitch, tacking on the Tornadoes' fourth run of the game.
Having thrown 105 pitches through six innings of work, Ribas appeared to be tiring and the Tornadoes took advantage. Once again, Josh Beauregard proved to be the offensive catalyst for Worcester, as he led off the seventh inning with a base hit that landed a few feet in front of the charging left fielder Legare. Previously hitless on the night, Chris Colabello stepped into the batter's box and put a charge into a 1-0 pitch from Ribas for his fourth homerun of the year. Ribas set down the next two hitters on strikeouts before being lifted for reliever Shawn Ryan, who retired Lahair on a fly out for the third out of the inning.
The Tornadoes would tack on an additional run in the bottom of the eighth inning off the Capitales' reliever Ryan. Leading off the inning, Wasserman crushed a pitch that landed half way up the right center field wall, narrowly missing a homerun. Wasserman would later come around to score on a wild pitch for the seventh and final Tornado run of the night.
The only blemish on Pena's line would come in the top of the ninth inning, as Lepine took Pena deep for his fourth homerun of the season and second run for the Capitales.
The Capitales and Tornadoes will square off again in the rubber game of the series, before taking off for the All-Star Game. DJ Mattox (1-2, 2.60 ERA) takes the hill for the Tornadoes while the Capitales send Keith Dunn (2-7, 3.79 ERA) to the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM.
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Canadian American League Stories from July 14, 2006
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