Boulders Would Consider Full Merger with American Association

Rollin’ with the Boulders

BY GEORGE J. DACRE

I was among 3,650 fans who enjoyed the Rockland Boulders baseball team’s final game of the 2012 season on Labor Day.

On Monday afternoon the Boulders defeated the American Association’s Lincoln Saltdogs 5 to 4 with Pat Moran picking up the win pitching well for six innings and getting relief from Garrett Johnson and Adrian Martin.

At Monday’s game Keith Brachold had two loud fouls towards right feld stands as he failed to get the homers needed to become all-time single season Canadien-American League home run champion. He had 29 on the season and the record is 31. The Boulders had eight hits in the game and Lincoln 10 with the Saltdogs committing three errors. The Boulders wound up the season with a record of 48 wins and 52 losses to come in third in the final standings.

Following the game I caught up with Ken Lehner, president of the Rockland Boulders and he confirmed the Boulders supports continuing inter-league play between the Can-Am and American Association and said the two leagues should even consider a full merger. “The Rockland Boulders are in favor of continuing a relationship with the American Association, either with the continuation of inter-league play or a full merger. We look forward to the league meetings the first week of October when decisions for the 2013 season and beyond will be discussed.”

A 13 game losing streak near seasons end cost the Rockland team a chance at the playoffs that goes to the New Jersey Jackals who won 59 and lost 41. The Quebec Capitales topped the Can-Am league with 66 wins and 34 losses. They will meet the New Jersey Jackals in the playoff games.

The Newark Bears came in fourth with 34 wins and 65 losses and the Worcester Tornadoes were in the cellar with 29 wins and 79 losses. The Boulders topped the league in home attendance with a total of 161,375 followed by Quebec with 152,663, the New Jersey Jackals with 87,206, the Worcester Tornadoes with 61,398 and the Newark Bears with 41,382. The Boulders averaged 3,293 per home game, Quebec 3,116, New Jersey Jackals 1,896, Worcester 1,364 and Newark 668.

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