The stormed back late, overcoming a 4-0 deficit by posting three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to take a 6-4 decision Saturday night over the Worcester Tornadoes at Provident Bank Park in Pomona.
It was the Boulders’ second straight win and fourth in their last six games.
For the second straight night, the visitors broke on top early as Jose Canseco was hit by a pitch leading off the second, then erased on an Alex Trezza force out. Trezza proceeded to steal second and came in on Johnny Welch’s RBI double. They added another in the next frame when Jerod Edmondson’s long double to right brought in Cameron Monger, who reached on a single to make the score 2-0.
Worcester added two more in the fifth off Rockland starter Will Hassett, as Edmondson doubled deep to center, followed by an almost identical shot by Canseco to increase the margin to 3-0. Singles by Alex Trezza and Nick Saloti brought Canseco in to make the score 4-0. Tornado hurler Ryan Bicondoa had good stuff throughout, retiring his first 19 Boulder batters in order before Cole Kraft broke through with a clean single through the middle with one out in the home seventh.
Keith Brachold and Ryan Scoma followed with consecutive singles to put Rockland on the board. With two out, Norm Hutchins brought both runners around with a double to right to cut the deficit to 4-3 and end Bicondoa’s night. Phil Negus came out of the Worcester pen to end the threat, but was not so fortunate in the eighth. Todd Gossage brought the Boulders even in the eight with a home run deep into the Corona Short Porch in right, his second homer in as many days.
Rockland was not finished just yet.
Matt Nandin followed with a walk and was sacrificed to second. With two down, Keith Brachold was intentionally walked, bringing on reliever Matt McDonald. Ryan Scoma greeted McDonald with a run scoring single through the box, and Ryan Mollica added an insurance run with another single up the middle, scoring Brachold. Adrian Martin came on to work a scoreless ninth and earn his second save in a 24-hour span. McDonald took the loss for Worcester, while Garret Johnson picked up the win with two scoreless innings of relief.
The Boulders’ six-game homestand concludes today with a 2:05 pm start, as all kids 14-and-under will be invited to run the bases following the game, sponsored by Sports Authority.
After a day off on Monday, they embark on a three-game trip to New Jersey to face the Jackals before returning to Provident Bank Park to host the Quebec Capitales from June 1-3.
