Hage’s 9th Inning Slam Gives Boulders First Win Over Quebec

QUEBEC, Canada – Joe Hage hit the first grand slam in Rockland Boulders history on Sunday, and it could not have come at a better time. 

With the bases loaded, two outs and the Boulders trailing by a run in the top of the ninth, Hage took the first pitch he saw out of the park to give the Boulders a 7-4 victory over the Quebec Capitales in Can-Am League action.

Down two runs going into the ninth, the Boulders quickly found themselves down to their final out.  A pitch then hit Norm Hutchins, and Scott Clement followed with a single.  Ryde Rodriguez made it back-to-back singles to score Hutchins and bring Rockland within one.  Chase Weems followed Rodriguez with a walk to load the bases, giving Hage the chance to give the Boulders the lead.

Rockland scored first in Sunday afternoon’s contest.  With one out in the second, Norm Hutchins blasted his first home run since returning to the Boulders to give them an early 1-0 lead.

The Boulders added another run in the third.  Mike Richard doubled with two away, and Ryan Mollica followed with a single to knock him in and increase the Rockland lead to two.

Sebastian Boucher singled to lead off the fourth for the Capitales.  A throwing error by Ryan Knippschild allowed Boucher to move all the way to third before the play ended.  Boucher then scored on a wild pitch to get the Capitales on the board.  Rene Leveret immediately followed with a home run to tie the ballgame.  Quebec rallied to add another run before the inning ended, taking a 3-2 lead in the process.

Robert Wagner singled in Boucher in the bottom of the eighth to add another run for Quebec, making the score 4-2.

After the Boulders took the lead in the ninth, Adrian Martin came on to close out Rockland’s first victory in Quebec and increase his league lead with his 13^th save.

The Boulders (2-5, 21-32) today start a four-game swing with the Pittsfield Colonials at Wahcohnah Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Rockland will send Jon Velasquez (3-4) to the mound this evening to take on Pittsfield’s Miguel Flores (1-6).