Boulders Split Double Header With Bears

The Rockland Boulders were never close in game one, but they discovered the long ball in game two to earn the double-header split Wednesday evening in Can-Am League baseball action at Provident Bank Park in Pomona.

The Boulders fell behind quickly in game one as they fell 6-1 to the Bears. Newark starter Alex Smith went the complete seven innings, giving up only one run in the final inning. They fell behind early in the second game, but the Boulders quickly rallied back to take the lead for good. 

The Bears got on the board first in game one. With runners on the corners to start the top of the second, Chase Fontaine grounded out to bring in the first Newark run. Billy Alvino later singled in Ryan Walsh to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. 

Newark added to their lead in the third when Burt Reynolds hit a three-run homer into the short porch in right field. With two outs in the inning, Brad Jackson hit an RBI triple to left-center field that plated Fontaine for the Bears’ sixth run. 

The Boulders were able to put a run on the board in the bottom of the seventh and final inning on Jeremy Slayden’s sacrifice fly, but it would not be enough to come back. 

The Boulders were the firsts to score in game two, jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead in the home half of the first. Ray Stokes reached on an error to lead off the inning, and then stole second. Ryan Mollica followed with a ground out to move Stokes up to third. Jeremy Slayden then reached on an error as well, scoring Stokes from third for the first run of the contest. 

The Bears quickly got that run back and more in the top of the second. With two outs and Danny Santiesteban on second, Fontaine singled into center to bring him around to score. Eric McGee followed with a double, and then Brad Jackson singled in Fontaine.  Brandon Watson followed Jackson with a single of his own, plating McGee from third.  

Paddy Matera then doubled to left field to score two more runs and give the Bears a 5-1 lead. Chase Weems slammed his first home run of the season in the last of the second.  His two-run blast over the short porch brought the Boulders within two runs.  Stokes then walked and stole both second and third base. He later scored to tighten up the score at 5-4 in favor of the Bears. 

Newark quickly got a run back in the third.  With one away, Santiesteban singled and then scored on Walsh’s RBI double to increase Newark’s lead to two runs. Another Boulder hit his first home run of the season in the bottom of the third.  Barry Wesson led off the inning with a solo shot into the left field grandstands to bring Rocklandback within one. 

The streak of round trippers continued for the Boulders in the fourth.  With Ryan Mollica on second, Slayden slammed two-run home run into the billboard monster seats in right-center to give Rockland a 7-6 lead. 

The Boulders increased their lead in the fifth by scoring two runs on three hits.  Cole Kraft scored on a double by Ryde Rodriguez with nobody out.  Rodriguez moved up to third on the play after an error by the right fielder.  He then came home on Weems’ sacrifice fly to right, leaving Rockland with a 9-6 lead after five full. Newark chipped away at Rockland’s lead with two runs of their own in the top of the sixth.  

Fontaine continued his big day with a home run to lead off the inning.  Newark later rallied to score another run in the inning, but the Boulders held on to a one-run lead. 

The Boulders (8-14, 27-41) will play the final game of their three game series with the Newark Bears tonight at Provident Bank Park.  The game is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. Jon Velasquez (4-5) will take his turn on the hill for the Boulders. He will go head-to-head with Newark’s Trevor Marcotte (0-3).