Velasquez Goes 7 Innings As Boulders Stop Bears, 5-3

Jonathan Velasquez threw a solid game for the Rockland Boulders as they took game three, 5-3, over the Newark Bears (18-19) in Can-Am League baseball action at Provident Bank Park on the Fourth of July.

Velasquez went seven innings giving up just three earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts. He retired the last 11 Newark batters he faced before being replaced after the seventh inning.

Tommy Giles quickly continued his dominance of Newark pitching on Monday afternoon.  With two outs and Vic Buttler standing on second base, Giles smoked a line drive to right field for an RBI single to give the Boulders the early 1-0 lead.

Rockland struck again in the second with a Ray Stokes line drive bounced off the glove of Newark right fielder Danny Santiesteban’s glove and over the wall for a solo home run, giving the Boulders a two-run lead.

Pat Biserta got the Bears on the board in the fourth with his first home run as a Bear, a line drive into the short porch in right field.  The rally continued as Juan Martinez singled and Billy Alvino doubled Martinez in from first to tie the game.  Alvino advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a Ryan Walsh sacrifice fly to give Newark the lead.

The Boulders took the lead back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth.  With the bases loaded, Scott Clement hit a ground ball into centerfield to bring Sean Smith and Cristobal Santana around to score.

Rockland increased its lead in the home half of the sixth.  With two outs, Smith doubled off the left field wall.  A 12-pitch at bat resulted in a walk for Buttler.  On the next pitch, Cristobal Santana singled into left to plate Smith from second and increase the lead to 5-3.

Adrian Martin, who earned the win in last night’s victory, recorded the final three outs of the game to earn his league leading ninth save of the season.

The Boulders (15-19) head to Newark to play a morning matchup today with the Bears at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.  First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.

John Muller (1-3) gets the start for the Boulders this morning against Newark’s Chris Vasami (3-2).