Capitales avenge loss to Bangor

QUEBEC CITY, Quebec – The Bangor Lumberjacks snapped a 43-inning scoreless streak and a four-game losing streak Thursday night with a 5-4 win in 14 innings, but the Quebec Capitales came back with a 3-1 victory Friday night.

On Friday, the Lumberjacks outhit the Capitales 8-5 and left fielder Juan LeBron went 3-for-4 with three singles, but Quebec starter Keith Dunn held Bangor in check in the scoring column and the ‘Jacks stranded eight runners.

Bangor took a 1-0 lead in the first on a two-out RBI single to left by Lorenzo de la Cruz, but Quebec answered with two in the third on Osmani Garcia’s two-out, two-run double to right center. Quebec tacked on an insurance run in the fifth on a Benoit Emond RBI single to center with one out.

Bangor’s John Vigue took the tough loss despite allowing five hits in eight innings of work. He also struck out six batters and walked one.

Bangor is now 8-11 in the North Division of the Northeast League and four games behind the 12-7 Capitales.

On Thursday, a solo home run by LeBron led off the 14th and provided the winning margin for the Lumberjacks.

Bangor tied the game with three runs in the eighth. Schuyler Doakes drew a leadoff walk and Todd Brock followed with a single to right field. After a flyout, LeBron reached on a fielder’s choice. Reliever Julien Tucker came on and all the runners moved up on a passed ball, making it 3-1. A groundout by de la Cruz scored Brock before Mark Burke tied the game with a pinch-hit single to center.

Bangor went up 4-3 in the 13th as Doakes followed an intentional walk to Brad Hargreaves that loaded the bases with an RBI single to left. Quebec answered in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff double by Eddie Lantigua, a John Ballon single, and – one out later – a steal of home by Lantigua.

Doakes led the ‘Jacks offensively with four singles and a stolen base in six at-bats. Mikaela Dworken doubled twice; De la Cruz had a double, a single, and a steal; and Hargreaves singled twice and stole a base.

Jeff Sparks notched the win in relief despite giving up one earned run in 3 2/3 innings. Righthander Orlando Woodwards notched his first save with one inning of hitless relief.

The game lasted 41/2 hours.