The Rockland Boulders earned a 14-9 win over the Dominican Republic behind a total team effort with every batter scoring in the game. Justin Topa (5-0) earned the win by pitching six innings of four run (three earned) baseball. Dominican starter Robinson Lopez (0-1) gave up seven runs and only recorded one out to take the loss.
The game began with the D.R. scoring first. In the top of the first, Jose Miguel Rosario was hit by a pitch to be the first base runner of the night. An error by first baseman Joe Maloney and RBI single by Norberto Susini allowed Rosario to cross home plate making the score 1-0 and bringing in reliever Fraylin Campos into the game early.
Rockland’s offense exploded in the bottom of the inning though. The Boulders scored seven runs with each batter in the starting lineup recording either a hit, RBI, or run scored leading to seven runs.
In the second inning, the D.R. cut into the lead with three more runs. Antony Brito led off with a double and two batters later Juan Crousset hit a two-run blast. Rodney Polonia later walked and moved to third on a double by Rosario. The outfielder would then come home on a wild pitch to make the score 7-4.
The Boulders struck again in the third starting with a lead off walk from Mike Fransoso. The shortstop moved to second on a wild pitch and stole third. Jon Smith then brought him home with a single. Smith stole second and scored on a single by Dylan Tice to up the Rockland lead to 9-4.
The scoring continued in the fifth. Smith reached on an error and Alex Herceg got on base after a fielder’s choice to put out Smith. Jared McDonald then walked forcing the D.R. to turn to Jose Agustin Rosario from the bullpen but a wild pitch and throwing error by the catcher Susini allowed Herceg to score. Dylan Tice’s sac fly brought home Jared McDonald extending the lead to 11-4.
In the sixth inning, Marcus Nidiffer walked, Fransoso singled, and Mike Montville walked to load the bases. Back-to-back walks by Smith and Herceg gave the Boulders a 13-4 advantage.
With relief pitcher Alex Farina on the mound, the D.R. made a run in the eighth inning. Danny Taveras led off with a single followed by a walk from Gilbert Gomez. Both came home on single from Crousset who then later also scored on a home run by Polonia, cutting the Boulder lead to 13-8.
However, the Boulders got a run back off of pitcher Luis Hernandez in the eighth after Montville walked and scored on an RBI double by pinch hitter Aaron Wilson. The Dominican outfielder Gomez homered off of Rockland’s Chris Carmain in the ninth to make the score 14-9 but it was not nearly enough.
The two teams will play the second game of the three games series tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. Rockland is 20-8 on the season while the Dominican Republic is still looking for their first win at 0-7.