Rox recover from Knights rally to snap Nashua win streak
NASHUA – All good things must come to an end.
Unfortunately, that was the case for the Nashua Silver Knights on Sunday as they fell to the Brockton Rox, 10-9 at a steamy Holman Stadium, snapping a four-game winning streak.
Hey, that’s what can happen on Sundays when nothing seems routine in an FCBL game.
“It was a frustrating game on both sides for both teams,” Jackson said. “I told them don’t worry about it, wash it away, and go after it tomorrow.
“It was a Sunday. Sundays are tough. Passed balls, hit by pitches, home runs.”
The toughest part about the loss was Nashua was trailing 9-5 and came back to tie it with four in the eighth before a Griffin Young wild pitch scored Joe Lara from third in the top of the ninth for the game-winner. Lara had led off the inning with a double and was bunted over to third.
Brockton grabbed a 3-0 lead off Knights starter Joe Quintal, who didn’t get out of the second inning. The Knights bounced back to take a 4-3 lead when Brockton starter Justin Garcia couldn’t find the plate, forcing in three runs with two walks and a hit by pitch after Jack Arend doubled in a run.
The Rox, however, took control with five in the fourth keyed by homers off the bats of Cal Christofori and Pat Roche.
However, trailing 9-5 going into the eighth, Nashua scored four times before Rox reliever Michael Volgende could get an out on RBI hits by Jared Dupere, Dom Keegan and John Mead. Keegan had homered (his sixth) to straightaway center earlier and Mead had just missed one as well.
But once gain, they battled.
“We always do,” Jackson said. “Seventh, eighth, ninth inning, we’re going to battle, whether we’re down by 10 or up. We’re going to compete every single pitch.”
The loss dropped Nashua game back of Worcester in the battle for first place. Unfortunately, they lost a game to the two teams trailing the Knights for the second and final playoff spot, but they still lead both the Rox and North Shore by 3.5 games.
They can get that back over the Navs tonight at 6 at Holman. Normally Mondays are days off, but this is a makeup game, and Jackson feels his team will be mentally ready.
“I told them before when we came out of the break that we had 13 straight,” Jackson said. “Be prepared, stay rested, don’t do anything stupid. Be here for the team. They’ll be fine.”
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Young, who was taken out of the bullpen to start a couple of games – and did so successfully, is in the pen this week until he makes his next start on Aug. 15, Jackson said. So he came in to throw the ninth. “It was his side day,” Jackson said….
In turn, the Knights will give another reliever, lefty Nick Guarino (2-0), the start today vs. North Shore at 6 at Holman. Jackson is hoping to get four innings out of the Clark University senior who hasn’t given up an earned run all year…
The rest of the rotation: Josh Roberge (0-1, 4.64) on Tuesday at New Britain, Jack Dicenso (2-0, 5.40) on Wednesday home vs. the Bees, Pat Harrington (0-1, 3.12) home on Thursday vs. Worcester, and Quintal (0-3, 7.08) on Friday at Brockton. …
Jackson said he plans on talking to Quintal, who is struggling. “This was one of those days, he hasn’t found a rhythm out there,” he said. “We’ll just have a talk. I have confidence in him.”