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Winning Streak Halted, Boulders Drop Two of Three to Quebec

The Rockland Boulders were on a five-game winning streak heading into a six-game Canadian road trip but the Quebec Capitales continued to have the Boulders number taking two of three in the series at Le Stade Municipal in Quebec City and six out of the eight games played between the teams’ this season. Rockland(27-19) is locked in a tight race in the Can-Am League standings only two and half games out of the first place with New Jersey holding a half game margin over Quebec and Ottawa three out.

In game one of the series, Quebec jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after four innings of play but the Boulders answered back on a Mike Fransoso two-run single in the sixth. Jared McDonald made it a one game in the 7th belting a two-out single bringing in Elvin Soto. However, that is as close as Rockland would get with the Capitales tacking on two runs in the eighth putting the game away.

The Capitales followed a similar script in game two of the series racing out to a 4-0 lead. Rockland refused to go away quietly scoring twice in the 4th on a Mike Montvile RBI groundout and Elvin Soto run-producing infield single. Starting pitcher Bo Budkevics was forced to leave the game in the fifth with an injury to his pitching hand.

Quebec would take a 6-3 lead going into the ninth inning when Ed Charlton clubbed his first home run as a Rockland Boulder to dead center trimming the lead to 6-4. The Boulders put runners on first and second with one out only to see Capitales closer Jon Fitzsimmons strike out Marcus Nidiffer and Pat McKenna to secure the victory.

In the series finale, Rockland’s bats set the tone in the first off former Boulder Nate Roe tallying fours with the big blow coming from Jared Schlehuber blasting a three-run shot over the right field wall. Mike Fransoso drilled a two-run single in the second extending the advantage to second. Despite encountering multiple jams in what would be his final start in a Rockland Boulders uniform, Markus Solbach tossed a gem allowing no runs on seven hits while fanning six and walking three to pick up his Can-Am League leading sixth victory of the season.

The Boulders conclude their road trip with a three-game set at Trois-Rivières starting on Friday.

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Sunil Sunder Raj

Since July of 2014 Sunil Sunder Raj has been with In The Zone. Sunil has experience covering minor league baseball, high school and college sports. A beat writer for the Rockland Boulders for six years, Ramapo College men’s basketball for four years, NJIT men’s basketball and Seton Hall women’s basketball. Now focusing on feature articles about athletes, coaches and sports media professionals. A graduate of Ramapo College of New Jersey with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism.
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