Baseball / Jackals Lose First Ever Matchup with Titans

Jackals Lose First Ever Matchup with Titans

Date:  Source: New Jersey Jackals

Little Falls, NJ -- It was bacon night at Yogi Berra Stadium during a beautiful Friday evening as the Jackals welcomed the second place team in the East Division, the 20-7 Ottawa Titans. Right-hander Jorge Tavarez made his 4th start of the season, entering the contest with a 3-2 record, and was phenomenal. The Dominican Republic native threw 5 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 5 hits, walking 4 and tying a season high in strikeouts with 10.

The scoring started in the second inning as Titans second baseman Jackie Urbaez hit an RBI infield single that scored Tyrus Greene. Trailing Greene was centerfielder Will Zimmerman who crossed home plate via an E4 and it was quickly 2-0 Ottawa. New Jersey would answer right back with two runs of their own. 
 
Right Fielder Josh Rehwaldt (#35) ripped a single that scored catcher Jason Agresti. Zack Whalin smoked a double down the left field line to score Rehwaldt and knot the game at 2.
 
The Jackals would grab their only lead of the game in the third inning, courtesy of an Alfredo Marte sacrifice fly to left which drove in shortstop Santiago Chirino.
The back and forth matchup continued in the fourth as Titans’ third baseman, and New Jersey native, A. J. Wright drew a bases loaded walk to once again tie the game at 3 a piece.
 
Once Ottawa got to the New Jersey bullpen, the floodgates were opened. Wright tallied his second and third RBI of the ballgame after he tattooed a fastball off of New Jersey reliever Angelo Baez the opposite way to right field to put the Titans out in front 5-3. 
 
The Titans wouldn’t stop there, as Jacob Sanford clobbered his 9th big fly of the campaign to give Ottawa a 6-3 lead after six innings of play.
 
The Jackals had their rally caps ready as Dalton Combs came through in the 9th inning with a 2-run single to right field, scoring Joe Simone and Zack Whalin. The New Jersey first baseman was the top offensive performer tonight going 3-5 at the plate with 2 RBIs. The Jackals couldn’t muster up any ninth inning heroics as left-hander Kevin Escorcia shut the door for the Titans to record his 9th save of the season.
 
The Jackals return to the diamond tomorrow night in the second game of this three game set with Ottawa. First pitch is at 6:05pm for Star Wars Night with fireworks to follow. You can go to Jackals.com to buy tickets and be on the lookout for the auction of the Star Wars night jerseys.

PHOTO CREDIT: Phil Hoops

REPORTING BY: Will Tallant, Press Box and Media Relations Intern