Quebec beats up Bangor Playoff hopes wane for struggling Lumberjacks

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BANGOR – After a home series-opening loss to Quebec Monday night, the Bangor Lumberjacks’ backs were firmly pressed against the outfield wall.

After Tuesday night’s 8-3 loss to the north division Northeast League leaders, the Lumberjacks were seemingly out cold on the warning track as far as their playoff aspirations are concerned.

Rather than play like a team with a sense of urgency and renewed motivation, the ‘Jacks appeared to be sleepwalking – especially in the early going.

The result was Bangor’s fourth loss in the last five games and a six-game deficit with 13 games left.

“We’ve put ourselves behind the eight ball,” said Bangor manager Kash Beauchamp. “There’s no intensity on this team whatsoever. It’s just not there … Period. It’s like these guys come to the ballpark like they’re a steelworker who’s pulling a double shift.

“It really bothers me because that’s something my teams are known for is intensity and fire.”

Bangor is 16-19 while Quebec improves to 20-12 with a 11/2-game lead over North Shore in the Northeast League’s second- half standings.

“We’re worried about every team, so what we just try to do is win every game,” said Quebec manager Joe Ferguson. “Our pitching staff has been strong all year and the hitting’s been pretty consistent. What’s made the difference for us is the way our bullpen has pitched. It’s been outstanding in the second half.”

Whatever extra fight the ‘Jacks had in them was seemingly taken out by a seven-run outburst by Quebec in the top of the first. Bangor starter Danny Miller lasted just two-thirds of an inning after the Capitales touched him up for three hits, three walks, and six earned runs. Miller threw 30 pitches to eight batters.

Carlos Rodriguez started the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center. Eddie Lantigua followed with a one-out, RBI single up the middle. After a flyout to left, Rafael Pujols singled and Galindo Gomez walked to load the bases. Miller was called for a balk, scoring Lantigua. A walk to Ntema Ndungidi reloaded the bases and sent Miller to the showers.

“In all fairness to Danny, he’s been hurt all year. He’s not 100 percent and we’ve given him extra rest, but he hasn’t pitched anything like he’s capable of because his arm’s messed up,” Beauchamp said. “He’s probably not going to start anymore because he’s not capable of it.”

Fellow lefty Matt Scheuing came on and yielded a bases-cleaning double by Asdrubal Oropeza to left center on his first pitch. Leadoff man Matt Booker then got his second at-bat of the inning and hit a first-pitch single to center to score Oropeza.

The score remained unchanged until the fifth, when Bangor finally broke onto the scoreboard, courtesy of a leadoff walk by Donnie Ross, a one-out walk to Mark Burke, and a two-out RBI single to right by Sandy Martinez.

Bangor added a run in the eighth after pinch hitter Nick Saunders drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a groundout, and scored on Barry Paulk’s RBI single to right. Quebec got it right back in the top of the ninth, however, as Carlos Rodriguez blasted a solo homer over the left-field fence, his 20th, which ties the team record.

The scoring finished with a one-out double by Burke and a Todd Brock single to center in the ninth.

Scheuing settled down and pitched 6 2/3 innings of four-hit ball while allowing the one run. Defensively, center fielder Barry Paulk made a highlight reel, diving backhanded catch in the ninth to take an extra-base hit away from Benoit Emond.

CAPITALES 8, LUMBERJACKS 3

(Tuesday Night)

QUEBEC (21-12) BANGOR (16-19)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Booker, rf-2b 5 1 1 1 Doakes, 2b 2 0

Garcia, 2b 3 1 1 0 Paulk, cf 4 0 1

Emond, rf 2 0 0 0 LeBron, lf 4 0 0

Rodriguez, cf 4 1 1 2 Ross, 1b 3 0

Lantigua, 3b 5 1 2 1 de la Cruz, rf 4 0 0

Ballon, lf 4 0 1 0 Burke, dh 3 1 0

Pujols, c 4 1 1 0 Brock, 3b 4 0 1

Gomez, 1b 2 1 0 0 Martinez, ss 4 0 1

Ndungidi, dh 2 1 0 0 Hargreaves, c 2 1 0

Oropeza, ss 4 1 2 3 Saunders, c 1 0 0

Totals 35 8 9 7 Totals 31 3 6 3

Quebec 700 000 001 ? 8

Bangor 000 010 011 ? 3

E?none; LOB?Quebec 6, Bangor 6; 2B?Oropeza, Burke; HR?Rodriguez (20); DP?Brock-Doakes-Ross; Oropeza-Garcia-Gomez, Lantigua-Garcia-Gomez; SF?Rodriguez; SB?Doakes

Quebec IP H R ER BB SO

Dunn (W,10-5) 5 2 1 1 3 3

Foss 2 2/3 2 1 1 2 2

Quintero 1/3 0 0 0 0 0

Tucker 1 2 1 1 0 1

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Miller (L,3-10) 2/3 3 6 6 3 0

Scheung 6 2/3 5 1 1 3 5

Ford 2/3 1 1 1 0 1

WP?Scheuing; BK?Miller; T?2:49; ATT?not reported