Sizzling Boulders win 11th Straight after Sweeping Joplin

Make it back-to-back-to-back series that the Rockland Boulders have swept after taking a 3-game set from the Joplin Blasters of the American Association of Independent Baseball.

Rockland set the franchise record of 9 wins in a row on Tuesday edging Joplin 4-3. Rockland’s overall record stands at 48-26 and 4 games up on the Quebec Capitales in the Can-Am League standings.

The Boulders got it going early in the series opener on a Joe Maloney 2-run double in the 3rd inning. Rockland would add two more runs in the 5th but Joplin shaved the lead down to 4-3 in the 6th.  Luis Sanz worked a perfect 9th inning tallying his 14th save of the season. Fray Martinez(3-0) earned his 2nd win as a starter going 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits while striking out 5 and walking 3.

Bo Budkevics pitched a gem in game 2 of the series hurling a complete game eight hit shutout while fanning six as the Boulders crushed Joplin 8-0. Heading into the 8th inning, Rockland led 4-0 and put the game of reach scoring 4 more times.

Marcus Nidiffer clubbed his Can-Am League leading 16th home run of the season, a 3-run shot in the 5th while Steve Nyisztor belted a 2-run shot in the 4th.

In the rubber match of the series, the Boulders busted out the lumber in the 1st inning on back-to-back 2-run jacks by Joe Maloney and Nidiffer.

Maloney hitting his 11th of the year while Nidiffer upped his Can-Am League leading 17th of the season. Rockland enjoyed a comfortable 8-0 advantage through the first four innings but Joplin kept chipping away closing the gap to 8-7 by the 8th inning. Luis Sanz shut the door tossing a perfect 9th inning to register his 15th save of the season. Despite surrendering five runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings of work, Alex Gouin picked up his 6th win of the season.

“Right now things are clicking the way we have waited for all season” said Manager Jamie Keefe.