The New Jersey Jackals’ early momentum vanished Wednesday as a six-run sixth inning powered the Brockton Rox to a 14-6 win at Hinchliffe Stadium.
Both teams opened with bullpen arms in what shaped up to be a staff-heavy game. Nyan Hernandez made his first start of the season for New Jersey in his third appearance, while Brockton countered with Joe Klemage, also making his first start.
Hernandez set the tone early, striking out catcher Derek Bender in his third batter faced. The Jackals quickly backed him with offense. A leadoff single from right fielder Aldalay Kolokie, followed by a walk to Martin Figueroa, put pressure on Klemage. After loading the bases, Luis Encarnación reached on a misplay, and a wild pitch brought in the first run. Christian Hall capped the inning with a two-RBI single, giving New Jersey a 4-0 lead after one.
Hernandez worked efficiently through the early innings despite a defensive miscue that allowed Brockton’s first hit. A double play helped him settle in, and he added two more strikeouts in the third.
Klemage settled down after the first but exited after two innings. Reliever Casey Bargo kept the Jackals quiet, striking out three across two innings.
Brockton broke through in the fourth when Evan Giordano launched a solo home run to cut the deficit to 4-1. The Rox continued to build in the fifth. Back-to-back singles set the table before Austin White delivered a two-RBI double, trimming the lead to one. That momentum carried forward when Giordano struck again, blasting a three-run homer to center to give Brockton a 6-4 lead.
Hernandez exited after 4.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Angel Miranda entered but couldn’t slow the Rox, who added another run on a ground ball from Hayden Travinski.
The Jackals chipped away in the bottom of the fifth. Connor Maryniak doubled, and Dante Stuart later reached on an error that allowed a run to score. Felix Stevens also came home in the inning, tying the game up at 6-6.
New Jersey had a chance to regain control in the sixth after Scott Seeker led off with a double, but Dosie Drakeford limited the damage with a strikeout and groundouts to escape the inning.
That escape proved pivotal.
Brockton erupted in the seventh. After a misplayed fly ball allowed Bender to reach for a double, the Rox capitalized on control issues. Jorge Benitez walked two batters, including a bases-loaded walk that forced in a run. Seeker added an RBI single, and Keegan Collario followed with another run-scoring hit. By the time the inning ended, Brockton had extended its lead to 11-6.
The Rox weren’t finished. In the eighth, Travinski crushed a two-run shot down the right-field line, pushing the lead to 13-6. The inning also featured the ejection of Jackals manager Bobby Jones, who argued a hit-by-pitch call after earlier warnings and was tossed after throwing his helmet.
Brockton added one more in the ninth on an RBI groundout from White.
The Jackals’ offense cooled significantly after the first inning. Stuart was the only New Jersey hitter with multiple hits, while the team struggled against a deep Brockton bullpen that combined for 11 strikeouts and allowed just three hits over the final innings.
For the Rox, Seeker led the way with three hits. Giordano’s two home runs sparked the offense, while Travinski and White each drove in three runs.
The loss drops New Jersey to 3-2 as they prepare to close the three-game series Thursday morning at Hinchliffe Stadium before heading on the road to face the Down East Bird Dawgs in another three-game series.
