Tornadoes win game two

Published on July 11, 2008 under Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Worcester Tornadoes News Release


WORCESTER - The Worcester Tornadoes used a strong pitching performance by Matt Weagle to bounce back from a tough Game One extra-inning loss, defeating the Nashua Pride in the nightcap, 6-2, on Friday evening at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field.

The first game was the conclusion of Wednesday's suspended affair at Nashua. The contest was tied at two in the top of the fourth when the skies opened up, forcing the conclusion of the game to be played in Worcester. The Tornadoes were controlling play before the Pride used a two-run home run in the eighth inning and walk-off three-run shot in the 11th for the 7-4 victory.

Weagle (8-2), celebrating his 26th birthday, was strong in Game Two with a seven-inning complete game performance while only giving up six hits with one walk and one strikeout. The win tied him with teammate Tom Cochran for the league-lead in wins. Chris Colabello was a doubles machine all night, scoring one two-bagger in Game One and two more in Game Two while tallying three total RBIs.

The Pride jumped out to the quick Game Two lead with a run in the top of the third inning. Jerod Edmonson got it started with a double and scored on Sandy Almonte's RBI single for the 1-0 advantage.

Worcester quickly tied the score, and took the lead, in the bottom of the inning. Jeff LaHair led off with a double to right field and advanced to third on a Josh Farkes infield single. A Scott Grimes fielder's choice and Colabello double scored LaHair and Grimes for the 2-1 lead.

Nashua answered right back in the top of the fourth when Dennis Abreu singled, advanced to second on a groundout, to third on a fly ball, before scoring on a wild pitch for the 2-2 tie.

Just like they did in the fourth, the Tornadoes scored in the bottom of the inning, this time taking the advantage for good. Francisco Caraballo led off with a double to left field and scored on a Chuck Jeroloman seeing-eye single. Worcester upped its lead to 4-2 with an unearned run in the fifth inning. B.J. Weed crossed the plate when Almonte's second error of the inning went out of play, advancing the Worcester center fielder all the way from second to home.

Worcester picked up two crucial insurance runs in the sixth when a Weed single scored Omar Pena for the three-run advantage. Weed scored the game's final run on a wild pitch for the 6-2 final.

The evening started when the two teams resumed Wednesday night's suspended game. Worcester, the visiting team, broke the ice in the top of the sixth when Grimes walked and scored on a Colabello double for the 3-2 lead. Two batters later, Caraballo hit a solo home run to left-center field for the 4-2 advantage.

Eddie Pena was cruising along until the bottom of the eighth when Bryan Duplissie hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring Almonte for the 4-4 tie.

John Birtwell got out of a major first-and-third with no out jam in the bottom of the 10th, but it wasn't enough as Argenis Tavarez hit a three-run walk-off home run in the 11th to hand Worcester the crushing 7-4 defeat.

Worcester now looks ahead to the rubber game of the five-game series on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. with Alex Pena taking the hill for the Tornadoes. Saturday also marks the end of the first half of the season. It will be "Going Green Night" sponsored by Waste Management and Sony. Visit the Tornadoes website at www.worcestertornadoes.com for more information on these exciting upcoming promotions. For tickets to these or any games, call the Tornadoes' office at 508-792-2288 or crash the web at worcestertornadoes.com. All games can be heard live on NewsTalk 580 AM and 94.9 FM WTAG and online at www.wtag.com.

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Canadian American League Stories from July 11, 2008


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