Boulders lose 6-5 extra-inning heartbreaker to Quebec, fall to 12-4

Rockland began their Canadian road trip looking to improve to 13-3 on the year with a win in Quebec. Instead, the Capitales walked off in the 10th inning to avoid a meltdown loss.

Yordan Manduley and Maxx Tissenbaum got things started for Quebec in the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles. Those were followed by an opposite-field three-run blast from cleanup hitterJordan Lennerton. Boulders pitcher Bo Budkevics was checked for an injury immediately after the home run, although he was deemed healthy enough to remain in the game.

The Capitales had an opportunity to add more runs in the second, but centerfielder Jared McDonald made a two-out diving catch to keep Rockland within striking distance. After three more phenomenal innings from starter Arik Sikula, Quebec’s bats got hot again in the fifth.

Budkevics would walk Lennerton and then allow a two-run home run to Kalian Sams, making it 5-0 Capitales. Budkevics completed the inning and concluded the night with eight hits, five earned runs, two strikeouts and two walks.. Sikula pitched seven solid innings for Quebec and finished the night with two hits, no runs, six strikeouts and one walk. Jason Byers provided Rockland with two solid innings in relief before things got wild in the eighth.

Quebec reliever Jaspreet Shergill would walk Jon Smith and Mike Montville to put himself in an early one-out jam. He then allowed a single to McDonald to load the bases and plunked Dylan Tice to bring a run home. A Mike Fransoso fly ball would produce the second out. With two out and the bases loaded, catcher Marcus Nidiffer flexed his muscles and hit a game-tying grand slam. A quiet ninth inning sent the game to extras.

In the bottom of the 10th, the Capitales got to Boulders youngster Matt Kostalos (0-1)and won on a bloop two-out single from James McOwen. Rockland will have their chance to rebound Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Stade Canac in Quebec.

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