FIVE-RUN SIXTH PROPELS SURF TO THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
July 22 Recap

Ottawa – LF Joe Burke (pictured) was 3-for-6 with two doubles and three RBI as the Atlantic City Surf defeated the Ottawa Rapidz, 9-4, in a Can-Am League game on Tuesday evening at Rapidz Stadium.

After a scoreless first two innings, Atlantic City (6-3) tallied three runs in the third on 2B Brad Thoma’s two-run, no-out double, followed by Burke’s RBI double. Ottawa (2-7) then tied the game in the fourth on 3B Jake Daubert’s RBI single and CF Pete Pirman’s two-run home run.

In the sixth, the Surf’s first five hitters of the inning reached base. After C William Plaza and 3B Gil Zayas led off the inning with singles, CF Lucas Taylor brought home Plaza with a single of his own. SS Anthony Granato then walked to load the bases, before Thoma worked a bases-loaded walk to make it a 5-3 game. After DH Clyde Williams flew out to right, Burke doubled home Granato and Taylor. 1B Eddie Kim then hit a sacrifice fly to left, bringing home Thoma for the fifth run of the inning.

Rapidz’ SS Juan Infante hit an RBI double in the seventh, bringing the score to 8-4 in favor of Atlantic City, before Zayas brought home Kim in the eighth with an RBI double of his own.

Brian Rodaway (6-5) earned the victory for the Surf, allowing four runs on six hits in seven innings of work, striking out two. Derek Duclos and Kyle George were solid out of the bullpen, each pitching a hitless inning of relief. Adam Hawes picked up the loss for Ottawa (3-7), giving up eight runs in five innings.

Burke, Zayas and Taylor each had three hits on the evening, while Pirman went 2-for-4 for Ottawa. The Surf banged out 18 hits as a team, seven of them doubles, a season-high.

Atlantic City shoots for the series sweep Wednesday night, with J.C. Huguet (6-2) on the hill for the Surf.