JACKALS STUN Y'ALLS, WALK OFF IN SERIES OPENER - FRONTIER DAILY ROUNDUP
WRITTEN BY: MIKE GUISTOLISE
JACKALS WIN ON TAYLOR'S WALK-OFF DRIBBLER
PATERSON, NJ - The New Jersey Jackals took the series opener with a 7-6 walk-off win against the Florence Y'alls on Tuesday night.
The Jackals (15-36) have won back-to-back games for the first time in a month, while the Y'alls (22-29) have floundered to start the month, going just 2-5. New Jersey got off to a commanding lead in the second inning, scoring their first run on a wild pitch before 2B Nilo Rijo drove in two on a double into the left-center field gap. 3B Miguel Gomez extended the lead to 4-0 on an RBI base hit. In the third, DH Arbert Cipion sent a ball deep to make it 5-0. The Y'alls were able to cut into the New Jersey lead with two runs in the fourth, but another RBI from Rijo in the seventh pushed the lead back out to four. Florence forced the issue in the eighth, rallying for four runs to tie the game at 6-6. In the top of the ninth, the Y'alls were able to get the go-ahead run to second base but left him stranded. In the bottom half, CF Bryson Parks hit an infield single and then stole second to eliminate the chance of a double play. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Parks sprinted and slid into home to win the game off LF Trent Taylor's groundball that barely made it past the pitcher's mound. RHP Dazon Cole got the win for New Jersey while RHP Ben Terwilliger took the loss.
The Jackals and Y'alls will face off at Hinchcliffe Stadium for game two of the series on Wednesday. First pitch is at 6:35 PM EDT.
KNOCKOUTS HALT TRI-CITY'S WINNING STREAK IN SUDDEN DEATH
BROCKTON, MA - The New England Knockouts homered three times to take down the Tri-City ValleyCats in sudden death at Campanelli Stadium on Tuesday.
The Knockouts (16-35) ended the ValleyCats' (28-24) nine-game winning streak in a nail-biter that required extra innings. Things started off well for New England thanks to back-to-back homers in the first inning from 3B Luis Atiles and DH John Cristino. Tri-City made things interesting in the middle innings, eventually taking a 3-2 lead in the fifth. 1B Ramon Jimenez tied things up for the Knockouts in the seventh with a 403-foot homer that sailed over the left-field fence. The game remained tied through the ninth, forcing extra innings; in the 10th, both sides were able to bring in their ghost runner, but the game remained tied to force sudden death. The Knockouts, as the home team, opted to field and were able to prevent Tri-City from scoring for the win. RHP Reeves Martin got the win for New England. There was no losing pitcher, as per Frontier League Sudden Death rules.
The Knockouts will attempt to win their second series of the month when they face the ValleyCats for game two of the series on Wednesday. First pitch is at 6:30 PM.
WASHINGTON'S POWER DISPLAY OVERWHELMS OTTERS
WASHINGTON, PA - The Washington Wild Things extended their winning streak to six with a 7-1 victory over the Evansville Otters on Tuesday night.
Wild Things Park saw yet another Washington (34-17) win with plenty of souvenirs to go around. Evansville (20-32) got off to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Wild Things quickly retorted in the bottom half with an RBI single from DH Tyreque Reed to tie the game. In the third, Washington took a 2-1 lead when CF Caleb McNeely sent his 12th home run into the seats. McNeely, recently named an all-star, currently leads the Frontier League in RBIs with 53. Reed added on later in the inning with a three-run blast to increase the Washington lead to 5-1. 2B Evan Berkey blasted the Wild Things' third home run of the game, a two-run shot, in the fifth to put the game out of reach. RHP Malik Barrington picked up his third win of the season after only allowing one run through six innings in his start. RHP Tristan Harvin took the loss for Evansville.
The Wild Things and Otters will play the middle game of their three-game series on Wednesday at 6:05 PM EDT.
CAPITALES SURVIVE NINTH-INNING SCARE
QUÉBEC CITY - The Québec Capitales outlasted a big comeback from the New York Boulders at Stade Canac, taking Tuesday's series opener by a final score.
The Capitales (32-19) have now taken a one-game lead in the East division, while the Boulders (31-18) are now tied in second with Ottawa. SS Kyle Crowl opened the scoring for Québec in the second inning when he blasted a two-run home run to give his side the lead. The Capitales doubled their advantage in the sixth with a two-run double from C Anthony Quirion. Québec was ready to celebrate a victory headed into the ninth up 4-0, but the Boulders threatened in the ninth with the bases loaded and only one out. New York proceeded to clear the bases over its next few batters and get the tying run in scoring position before RHP Frank Moscatiello induced a groundout to nab the save and give Québec the win. RHP James Bradwell got the win for the Capitales while RHP Garrett Cooper took the loss.
The Capitales will look to create more space in the division with a win in the series middle game on Wednesday. First pitch is at 7:05 PM EDT.
TITANS DEMOLISH AIGLES IN SERIES OPENER
OTTAWA - The Ottawa Titans blew out the Trois-Rivières Aigles 14-3 at Titan Stadium on Tuesday night.
With the victory, the Titans (31-19) are now tied for second place in the East and are only one game out of first. The Aigles (29-22) took the game's initial lead in the top of the first with a two-run double, but quickly let things get out of hand beginning in the bottom half. DH Jamey Smart quickly brought the game back to a tie with a two-run double to start things off. RF Brendan O'Donnell then put Ottawa on top in the same inning with a two-run blast. Both Smart and O'Donnell picked up RBIs in the second inning as part of a five-run outburst to go up 9-2. The Titans continued to plate runs throughout the game, piling up a season-high 19 hits before allowing the last Aigle run in the 7th inning. LHP Bryan Pena tallied his third win of the 2024 campaign after a solid six-inning start. RHP Logan Hofmann took the loss for Trois-Rivières after lasting only 1.2 innings into his start.
The Titans could jump up in the standings with a win and a New York loss on Wednesday. The first pitch for their second game against the Aigles is scheduled for 6:30 PM EDT.
LAKE ERIE CRUSHES MINERS ON STRENGTH OF THREE HOME RUNS
AUGUSTA, NJ - The Lake Erie Crushers took down the Sussex County Miners 9-3 at Skylands Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Crushers (34-18) blasted two home runs in the fifth to take the lead over the Miners (17-34). Sussex County jumped out 1-0 in the first inning with a sacrifice fly. CF Burle Dixon made it a wash in the second inning with an RBI double that made it 1-1. The Miners were able to retake the lead in the second off an RBI groundout, carrying their new lead into the fifth inning. In the top of the fifth, Lake Erie displayed its power in the form of two-run home runs from SS Jarrod Watkins and 1B Vincent Byrd Jr. to leap out in front 5-2. A big error by the Miners in the top of the sixth innings gifted the Crushers three more runs to make it 8-2. Sussex County was able to plate one more run in the sixth, but LF Ron Washington Jr.'s solo blast in the ninth put the game away for Lake Erie. LHP Darrien Ragins earned his sixth win of the season. RHP Jose Ledesma Jr. took the loss for Sussex County, dropping his record to 4-5.
The Crushers will attempt to win the series by taking the middle game on Wednesday. First pitch is at 7:05 PM EDT.
