RAMAPO, New York – On Father’s Day at Provident Bank Park, the Rockland Boulders were outmatched by the New Jersey Jackals by a score of 10-4 in Can-Am League action. New Jersey (13-10) slammed five home runs off Rockland pitching, including two apiece from Mike Jones and Jeremy Slayden. Leonard Davis added a deep ball of his own, which was his third of the series.
“I did well the last time I faced New Jersey,” said starting pitcher John Muller. “Last time I hit my spots. Tonight I missed three and they sent them over for home runs.”
The Jackals put Muller in a tough situation to begin the game. The first three Jackals reached base, bringing Myron Leslie up with bases loaded. Leslie hit a long fly ball to deep left field that fell just a few feet short of the bleachers, but it was long enough for a sacrifice fly to bring in the first run of the game. Vic Buttler made three straight putouts in left field to help Muller escape what could have been a rough first inning.
Davis continued his big series by hitting another deep drive into the left-center gap that crossed up Sean Smith and Buttler, driving in the second Jackals run of the game in the top of the third. With runners on second and third, Jones took a Muller fastball into the short porch in right field to give New Jersey a 5-0 lead.
The Boulders got on the board in the bottom of the third. Deybis Benitez stole second and moved up to third after a throwing error by the catcher Leslie. Smith knocked him in with a two-out single, bringing the score to 5-1 in favor of the Jackals.
New Jersey’s rout continued in the top of the fifth. Jones smacked a solo shot to right field, his second of the game. Slayden followed with a no doubter down the line in right to give the Jackals a 7-1 lead.
The Boulders rallied for three runs in the sixth. After a Buttler double put himself and Smith in scoring position, Cristobal Santana singled to short center to bring both around to score. After Todd Jennings walked, Ray Stokes drove a double down the right field line to plate Santana, bringing the Boulders within three. Boulders reliever Justin Fry found himself in some trouble in the top of the seventh frame. With bases loaded and only one out, Fry forced Slayden and Nick Giarraputo to fly out to end the inning with no damage.
Fry pitched a phenomenal three innings in relief. The power throwing righty did not give up a hit and struck out four New Jersey hitters. Brett Carroll came in to pitch the top of the ninth for the Boulders and gave up three runs to the Jackals. Leonard Davis, who hit two home runs in the previous game, hit two-run blast that cleared the short porch area in right field. Later in the inning, Slayden hit his second home run of the game; a solo shot that gave New Jersey a commanding 10-4 lead.
The Rockland Boulders (7-13) begin a new series with the Brockton Rox at Provident Bank Park Monday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm. Rockland will host the first three games of the series, then travel up to Brockton, MA for game four. Casey Hodges (0-1) will take his turn in the rotation on Monday. He will go head-to-head with Brockton’s Julian Sampson (2-1).
Great tickets are still on sale for Rockland Boulders home games, and can be purchased online at www.rocklandboulders.com or by calling 845-364-0009. (Photo Credit: Rich Gandon)
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