SURF POUND OUT 17 HITS IN 12-8 VICTORY OVER JACKALS
June 19 Recap

Little Falls, N.J. – Atlantic City SS Anthony Granato scored three runs and was a home run short of the cycle as the Surf defeated the New Jersey Jackals, 12-8, in a Can-Am League contest on Thursday night at Yogi Berra Stadium. The game, which took place in front of 2,438 spectators, went a lengthy three hours and forty-seven minutes.

The Surf (14-12) built an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on LF Joe Burke’s RBI single and C William Plaza’s sacrifice fly, and added another in the third on RF Josh Burrus’ second home run of the season, a solo shot.

After New Jersey (12-14) responded with a run in its half of the third on DH Juan Tejeda’s RBI single, Atlantic City broke the game open with a five-run fourth. Granato made it 5-1 with a two-run double, and came home when Burke reached base on an error by SS Casey Gordon. 1B Eddie Kim then added two more runs with an RBI single.

The Jackals tacked on a run in the bottom of the fourth before the Surf extended their lead with three more in the fifth. CF Lucas Taylor and Granato hit back-to-back RBI singles, while Burrus made the score 11-2 with an RBI groundout.

New Jersey hung around with five runs in the sixth inning, including two-run singles by both 3B Chris Kelly and LF Ramon Nivar, and another tally in the eighth. It wouldn’t be enough, though, as Atlantic City made it a 12-8 final with Kim’s RBI single in the ninth.

Granato was one of six Surf players with more than one hit; Burrus, Kim, DH Clyde Williams, Plaza and 3B Arturo Ledesma all had multiple-hit evenings. For New Jersey, C Craig Maddox led the way by going 3-for-5.

Atlantic City starter J.C. Huguet improved his record to 3-0 by allowing seven runs, but just two earned, in five and two-thirds innings, striking out five. After the Surf relief corps had struggled in recent games, Derek Barrows, Walker Whitley and Kyle George put together a solid performance out of the bullpen, limiting the Jackals to one run on two hits in three and one-third. Matt Vicaro (3-2) was saddled with the loss for New Jersey, giving up six earned runs in three and one-third innings.

The Surf return to Atlantic City for a seven-game homestand, starting with a game against Worcester on Friday evening at 7:05. Adam Cox (2-1) will be on the bump for the home squad, while Eddie Pena (2-1) is the Tornadoes’ scheduled hurler.