BROCKTON, MA – (June 2, 2009) – OF Palmer Karr singled off the chest of New Hampshire third baseman Chris Kelly and 1B Keith Brachold sprinted home to score the winning run for the Rox in the bottom of the ninth inning on Tuesday night.  The 4-3 victory was the third win in-a-row for Brockton, and the Rox can sweep the Defenders on Wednesday night.

Despite leading for the first six innings, the Rox were forced to mount a comeback after New Hampshire took a 3-2 lead in the eighth inning on DH Clyde Williams’ RBI single.  In the bottom of the eighth inning, SS Dominic Ramos tied the score at 3-3 on a two-out RBI single, scoring LF Napoleon Calzado from third base.

In the bottom of the ninth, Brachold started the inning with an infield single which was immediately followed by a bloop single from LF Jud Thigpen, advancing Brachold to third base.  Karr then smashed a one-hop line drive off of Defenders’ third baseman Chris Kelly.  The ball rolled into to foul territory and Brachold scored easily with the winning run.

The win could have come easier for the Rox who got a terrific start from RHP Wayne Lundgren.  Lundgren tossed 6.1 innings in his second start of the year and yielded two runs on six hits.  While Lundgren was at work, the Rox offense  stranded ten base-runners over the first six innings, benefitting from six walks by New Hampshire starter LHP Luis Ramos.  Lundgren departed with the scored tied at 2 runs apiece and runners at second and third with just one out.

LHP Brad Hertzler entered the game and struck out pinch hitter Rob Riley before inducing an inning-ending groundout off the bat of SS Greg Lemon.

RHP Matt Zachary relieved Hertzler for the ninth inning and worked a scoreless frame to earn his first win of the year.  The Rox and Defenders conclude the series on Wednesday night at Campanelli Stadium at 7:05 PM.  RHP John Kelly makes his second start of the year for Brockton against New Hampshire’s LHP Mark Romanczuk.