The Rockland Boulders defeated the Sussex County Miners 8-2 on Thursday night to take two out of three games from the defending league champions. Rockland has now won 10-of-13 games overall and stands just two games behind the Miners for first place in the Can-Am League.

After Audy Ciriaco’s first-inning two-run homer gave Sussex County the early lead, Rockland responded with three runs in the bottom of the second on run-scoring hits from John Brontsema and Chase Harris off Miners starter Chris Ervin, who was chased from the game after just two innings.

Grant Heyman and Blake Grant-Parks added solo shots to round out the scoring. Collin Ferguson, Cito Culver, Grant-Parks and Brontsema all finished the game with multiple hits, and second baseman Ryne Birk extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the seventh.

On the mound, Brett Schneider earned the win after pitching five innings and allowing five hits and two walks; he struck out seven Miners in the victory. Nick Kennedy and Josh Turner chipped in two scoreless innings apiece to close out the game.

The Boulders closed out a 5-1 homestand and will now hit the road to face the New Jersey Jackals for three games this weekend. They will return home next Friday night after a three-game series against Trois-Rivieres north of the border.