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Boulders drop opening matchup against Cuba

By Dan Popoloski, 06/24/16, 10:30PM EDT

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Salazar pitches seven innings, but the bullpen can't hold it

POMONA, NY- The Rockland Boulders dropped another game in the late innings, this time in their first game against the Cuban National Team, 6-1, at Palisades Credit Union Park. 
    The game saw a pitching duel between the Boulders’ Richard Salazar, and Cuba’s Yoanny Yera. Salazar pitched seven sparkling innings, allowing only one unearned run, and striking out six batters compared with three walks. Cuba’s only run against Salazar came in the third inning, when Raul Gonzalez came home on a throwing error by third baseman Mike Fransoso.
    It wasn’t until Pat Butler (0-3) came in that Cuba (7-7) began to separate themselves from Rockland (20-14). They plated two runs in the eighth on two hits, two errors and walk. In the ninth, their lead would only get bigger after Jarrett Martin came in for his first relief appearance of the season. Under his watch, Cuba plated three more runs, highlighted by a two-run single to right by designated hitter Yasiel Santoya, who finished the night 2-5 with a run scored and three RBI. 
    Meanwhile, against Yera (1-0), the Boulders offense threatened often, but couldn’t get enough going. Their best chance came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Junior Arrojo led off with a solo blast to left field. Following a double by Marcus Nidiffer and two walks to Jared Schlehuber and Mike Fransoso, the Boulders had the bases loaded with no one out. However, Frank Medina came in to relieve Yera and forced Ed Charlton to ground out to short to finish the inning.
Rockland wouldn’t get another runner past first base for the rest of the game as Medina, Ulfrido Garcia, and Miguel Lahera shut them out. Arrojo, 2-3 with the home run, and Nidiffer, 2-4 with a 2B led the way for Rockland offensively.  
    The loss marked the third in a row for the Boulders, as well as their third loss in a row in international play after dropping their last two games to Shikoku Island last weekend. Infielder Pat McKenna stroked a single in the second inning, giving him 14 hits in his first nine games as a Rockland Boulder. 
    The Boulders continue their series against Cuba on Saturday night, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:30 P.M. World renowned aerialist Nik Wallenda is going to tightrope across the top of the stadium before the game.