The New Jersey Jackals welcomed an old rival back to Yogi Berra Stadium. The Québec Capitales, dubbed this season as Equipe Québec, are the only Canadian ballclub in the Frontier League fielding a team this season. Both Québec and New Jersey were the two longest running franchises in the Can-Am League, as they were members of that league from it's first season in 2005 to it's final season in 2019. New Jersey would ultimately manage to just take one game in this one, as they dropped two of three to Québec in this three-game set.
Jackals Fall Behind Late
The red-hot Todd Isaacs got the Jackals going quickly to start the first game on Friday, June 25, launching one over the left field wall for a leadoff, solo home run in the top of the first. Todd finished the game going 3-for-5. In his seven games since being activated from the inactive list, Isaacs is 13-for-31 with three home runs and 12 RBIs. That equates to a BA of .419 and an OPS of 1.344.
"He's had four of the best games in a row that I've had a player had in a long time," said Jackals Manager Brooks Carey. "In four games he looks like a real player."
Newly signed starting pitcher Peter Soporowski took the mound for New Jersey and got through four innings allowing just one run. The Jackals offense managed to tack on three more runs by that point giving them a 4-1 lead heading into the top of the fifth inning.
This was where things went downhill fast for Soporowski and the Jackals, as Québec scored seven runs in the top of the fifth, all of them earned for Soporowski. New Jersey would attempt to mount a comeback, scoring three in the bottom half of the inning, but wouldn't come closer than that as Equipe Québec would go on to win this one 10-7.
Jackals Fall Behind Early
New Jersey's luck wouldn't change in the second game on Saturday, June 26. Despite starting pitcher Spencer Hereford giving the Jackals length, lasting six innings, Québec managed to score five runs off of him, four earned. After allowing just three earned runs combined in his first three starts, Hereford has now allowed 10 earned runs in his last two starts.
"Made some good pitches today," said Hereford. "They're just some really good hitters out there seeing the ball well and putting some good swings on. I felt like I put everything out there, did everything I could. Didn't really go in my favor today." When asked about potential adjustments he wanted to make, he said "Just getting ahead of hitters early and try to force some weak contact."
It wouldn't end up being better for the Jackals bullpen, as Québec would score four more runs in the top of the seventh innings. That ended up being more than enough for them to cruse on to a 9-5 victory.
Jackals Avoid the Brooms
New Jersey would need a win to avoid the sweep in the rubber game of the series on June. Slugger Alfredo Marte came into this one is a pretty big slump, going 2-for-31 in his last eight games, with both of the hits being singles. However, he finally broke out of his slump in the bottom of the first, launching one over the Jackals retired numbers in left field for a two-run home run, his sixth homer of the season and first since June 12, giving New Jersey a 3-2 lead at the time. Marte finished the game going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, his first multi-hit and multi-RBI game since June 13.
"Baseball sometimes is mental," said Alfredo Marte. "If you have a bad day, forget that day. Tomorrow is a new opportunity for you. When I hit that ball, I said 'Oh my god. That might be a homer.' And that happened. I feel great now."
The Jackals bats wouldn't let up from there as they went on to add on seven more runs. Dalton Combs had a big game, going 2-for-4 with a double and a three-run home run, his first homer of the season. New Jersey's bullpen was strong in this one as well, as Matt Vogel, Jason Zgardowski, and Dylan Brammer combined to pitch five scoreless innings. New Jersey would go on to take the rubber game of the series 10-3, avoiding the series sweep.
The New Jersey Jackals stand with a record of 16-11, second place in the Northeast Division and two games behind the Sussex County Miners for first place. They'll stay at home to begin a three-game series against the Tri-City ValleyCats Tuesday, June 29 at 7:05 p.m. EST.
