Boulders Roll, Stop Five-Game Slide

Win Behind Another Total Team Effort

Kinston, NC – The New York Boulders took out their week of frustration on the Down East Bird Dawgs (34-53), ending a season-high five-game losing streak with an 11-3 rout at Grainger Stadium on Friday night.

New York (46-41) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on the first of LF Fritz Genther’s two RBI singles, only to fall behind in the bottom half when RHP Blaine Traxel (W, 2-2 / 5.1 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K) gave up a two-run homer to Down East 2B Jaylen Smith.

Genther got the visitors even in the third when he plated SS Austin Dennis for the second time, while DH Alfredo Marte put the Boulders ahead to stay, 3-2, with an RBI groundout that scored 1B Jason Agresti.

The game got out of hand when New York erupted for a seven-run top of the fifth, putting their first eight batters on base with a hit-by-pitch, two walks, an RBI single, two bases loaded walks, another ribby single, and a two-run double by 2B Kyle Hess that made it 10-2.

C Jack Scanlon connected in the sixth inning for his first home run on the road this year, putting the Boulders up 11-2, before LHP Cobe Reeves (Save #1) came out of the bullpen for the second time this week and, after giving up just a leado RBI single, retired the last 11 batters he faced – including six strikeouts – to notch his f irst career save.

Also of note:

* The Boulders remain 4½ games behind Sussex County for first place in the East Division and still trail Ottawa by 1½ for the Atlantic Conference’s final playo spot

* Dennis (4-for-6) has a seven-game hitting streak, a league-high 130 hits overall, and at least one hit in 30 of New York’s 32 games since the All-Star Break … it was his fifth 4-hit game of the season

* Every Boulders batter reached base at least once – third time they’ve done that in the last seven games

The middle of the three-game series is tomorrow (Saturday) night, with first pitch once again scheduled for 7:00pm EDT.