Tornadoes play home run derby in win
Published on August 28, 2008 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release
Quebec City, Quebec -- Francisco Caraballo blasted two of the four Tornadoes home runs on the night and Matt Weagle tossed 8 outstanding innings as Worcester won the season series from Quebec by taking the series finale, 6-3, at Le Stade Municipal on Thursday night.
The Tornadoes bats were booming from the start. Scott Grimes began the game by greeting Quebec righthander Karl Gelinas (2-1) with a tremendous shot, well over the centerfield wall, for his 20th home run of the season. After B.J. Weed struck out, Chris Colabello sent a Gelinas offering over the centerfield fence for his 16th longball of the year and Caraballo followed with his 21st, a titanic blast to leftfield that made it 3-0, Worcester. It was the first time all season in which the Tornadoes went back-to-back. Quebec would get one back in the bottom of the 1st inning, when Goefrey Tomlinson (who would drive in all three Quebec runs on the night) hit his second 1st inning home run in as many nights, a line drive over the right-centerfield wall off Weagle that cut the Worcester lead to 3-1.
The Tornadoes would get that run back in the 3rd, when Alex Nunez dropped Weed's pop fly in leftfield for a two-base error to begin the frame. Weed moved to third base on a Colabello flyout and scored on an RBI single to center by Caraballo, who knocked in four on the night. Quebec would close within two again in the bottom of the 3rd, using a two-out RBI triple by Tomlinson to plate Mike Goss from first and make it 4-2. But the Tornadoes would put the final exclamation point on the night in the 5th. Colabello led off with a double, his 32nd two-bagger of the season, tying the Can-Am League record set by Atlantic City's Ed Montague in 2007. Caraballo followed with another home run, this one to center, his second of the night and 22nd of the season, setting a new Tornadoes franchise record for long balls and giving Worcester a 6-2 lead. Meanwhile, Weagle was dominant after the 3rd inning, retiring 15 of the last 17 batters he faced, with a Tomlinson RBI groundout after a Goss triple in the 6th the only further damage.
Weagle (10-7) became the second Tornadoes hurler to reach double-digits in wins and Gelinas (2-1) took the loss. Ryan Lobban tossed a perfect 9th inning with two strikeouts for his 4th save of the season. The four home runs gives Worcester 99 dingers on the season, 3 shy of the Can-Am League record for home runs in a single season (102), set by the 2005 North Shore Spirit. The Tornadoes won the game despite striking out 11 times and leaving 11 runners on base. Worcester also played error-free baseball for the fourth time in the last five games. The Tornadoes will try to take their momentum with them to Ottawa for the final four games of the regular season, starting on Friday night. Righty Shaun McNamara is scheduled to get the start for Worcester and he will be opposed by Ottawa righthander Adam Hawes. First pitch is set for 7:05pm.
Canadian American League Stories from August 28, 2008
- Can-Am Leage recap August 28 - Can-Am
- Tornadoes play home run derby in win - Worcester Tornadoes
- Brockton drops final game of four-game set as Ottawa earns a split - Brockton Rox
- Jackals finish strong at home - New Jersey Jackals
- Surf falter, clinch berth anyway - Atlantic City Surf
- Pride Past Surf in Home Finale; 8-2 - American Defenders of New Hampshire
- Skyhawks Clinch Playoff Spot - Sussex Skyhawks
- Playoff Tickets On Sale Today - Worcester Tornadoes
- Tornadoes Clinch Postseason Berth - Worcester Tornadoes
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