Matt Nandin crashed a three-run homer and Bobby Blevins fanned six but the host Quebec les Capitales rallied to take a 7-3 victory over the in the 2012 Can-Am League season opener at Le Stade Municipal Thursday night.
Nandin’s shot in the third put the Boulders in front, but the defending champs posted a decisive three-run sixth and added a pair in the eighth to take home the win.
Quebec broke through in the first on Blevins with a two-out rally, as Sebastian Boucher’s double and Rene Leveret’s single plated the first run of the season. Rockland would claim the lead in the third with three runs on just one hit off Capitale ace Brian Rembisz. Scott Clement was hit by a pitch leading off, Cole Kraft was walked, and Nandin sent one sailing into the trees beyond the outfield fence to make the score 3-1.
Blevins would record four strikeouts over the first three frames, but Quebec would chip away with another in the fourth, as Boucher recorded his second double and came in on a Steve Brown grounder. Rockland threatened in the fifth, loading the bases, but Rembisz was able to retire Norm Hutchins to escape further damage. The starter would leave after five, but the game was in good hands as Quebec’s bullpen was perfect the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, Quebec took charge with a rally in the sixth. Boucher and Leveret remained hot at the plate, leading off with back-to-back singles, and a sacrifice bunt by Brown ended Blevins’ night. With Andy Suiter on in relief, a passed ball charged to catcher Scott Clement brought in Boucher to deadlock the game at 3-3. A Josue Peley RBI single and a sac fly by Jeff Helps put the Capitales up by a pair.
The Caps added a pair in the bottom of the eighth to extend their lead to 7-3 against reliever Dan Jurik on a run-scoring single by Jonathan Malo, and a bases-loaded walk to Boucher. Jeff Duda, Dexter Bobo, and TJ Stanton combined to work four innings of hitless relief for the victors. Duda (1-0) picked up the victory for the Capitales, while Blevins (0-1) was saddled with the loss for the Boulders.
Game two of the four game weekend set will be played Friday as Rockland sends Jon Velasquez (8-6, 4.20 ERA in 2011) to the mound to square off against Quebec’s Karl Gelinas (8-6, 3.49 ERA). Saturday’s game three probables are Rockland’s Pat Moran (11-3, 3.56 ERA for Pittsfield) vs. John Mariotti (11-1, 2.74 ERA), and Sunday’s finale features Boulder Julian Sampson (10-5, 3.92 ERA for Brockton) against Adam Kudryk (first year in league).
The Boulders return to Provident Bank Park in Pomona to open a six-game homestand with their Home Opener against the Newark Bears on Tuesday, May 22 at 7:05 p.m. They will play three games against Newark before hosting the Worcester Tornadoes in a weekend set.
Rockland 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 3 3 1
Quebec 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 2 x - 7 9 0
2B--C.Kraft (1), R.Scoma (1), S.Boucher 2 (2), R.Wagner (1), P.DAoust (1). HR--M.Nandin (1). RBI--M.Nandin 3 (3), J.Malo (1), S.Boucher (1), R.Leveret (1), S.Brown (1), J.Peley (1), J.Helps (1). HP--S.Clement (1), R.Wagner (1). SF--J.Helps (1). SH--S.Brown (0). SB--J.Peley (1). E--M.Nandin (1). LOB--Rockland 6, Quebec 9.
YTD
IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Rockland
B.Blevins (L,0-1) 5.1 5 4 4 2 6 0 6.75
A.Suiter 0.0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0.00
N.Blanco 0.2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.00
D.Jurik 1.2 3 2 2 0 0 0 10.80
G.Johnson 0.1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.00
8 9 7 7 4 6 0
Quebec
B.Rembisz 5.0 3 3 3 4 2 1 5.40
J.Duda (W,1-0) 2.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.00
D.Bobo 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00
T.Stanton 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.00
9 3 3 3 5 5 1
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In other Can-Am action ....
Newark 9, Worcester 2
A solid night at the plate by LF Bryce Lane and a terrific performance by starting pitcher Mike Ness lifted the Newark Bears past the Worcester Tornadoes, 9-2. Lane went 3-for-4 on the night with a home run, three runs scored and four RBI while Ness tossed six sharp innings allowing an earned run on four hits with six strikeouts. Ness moved to 1-0 on the season with the victory. 3B Johnny Welch went 1-for-3 with a run scored for the Tornadoes in defeat.
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Standings
CanAm W L PCT GB STREAK L10 Quebec 1 0 1.000 - 1W 1-0 Newark 1 0 1.000 - 1W 1-0 Worcester 0 1 0.000 1 1L 0-1 Rockland 0 1 0.000 1 1L 0-1 New Jersey 0 0 0.000- 0-0
Next days games:
May 18
Worcester @ Newark 6:35pm
Rockland @ Quebec 7:05pm
New Jersey @ K. City 7:05pm
