For Miguel Flores, that plan didn’t exactly pan out, as a four-run barrage in the first set the tone for a 6-5 Capitales victory at Historic Wahconah Park.

Quebec Works Flores Early, Draws Early Blood

Flores (1-6, 4.55 ERA) struggled to command the strike zone immediately from the get-go, allowing back-to-back walks to Goefrey Tomlinson and Seth Henry.   After Pete LaForest struck out, Johnny Welch’s throwing error on a Rene Leveret grounder allowed Tomlinson to come across with the first run of the game.  Robert Wagner would follow with a sacrifice fly to left to bring in the second run of the inning.

The big blast in the first came from Mitch Delaney, who sent a 3-2 offering sailing over the center field wall for his second homer of the season, giving Quebec a 4-0 lead.

Pittsfield Chips Away, But Too Little Too Late

Pittsfield would cut Quebec’s lead in half in the second when Quentin Davis lined a 1-2 pitch into centerfield to bring home Scott Knazek and newly signed shortstop Jermel Lomack to make it a 4-2 ballgame.

Quebec would re-extend its lead back to four with single runs in the third care of a Delaney RBI single and in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Mathieu Vallieres.

The Colonials would chip back at the Capitales yet again with two more in the fifth when Quentin Davis sent a 0-2 pitch from Matthew Rusch (4-4, 3.21 ERA) into the 1791 Club for his first homer of the season, making it 6-4.

A Billy Mottram solo homer over the rear wall in right off of reliever Jeff Duda in the eighth narrowed the score to 6-5, but that was the only scoring Pittsfield could muster off of the Capitales bullpen.  Pittsfield had an opportunity to make some noise in the ninth when Scott Knazek laced a one-out single to right off of closer T.J. Stanton, but Lomack ended the threat by bouncing into a 4-6-3 double play to end the afternoon.

Tomlinson, Wagner, Delaney, and Leveret each had two hits for the Capitales, while Davis went 2-4 for Pittsfield.  Mike Zenko gave the Colonials a welcome boost out of the bullpen, striking out five in three shutout innings.

Pittsfield attempts to avoid a sweep Wednesday night at 7:00 PM as they send Chad Paronto (4-4, 4.28 ERA) to the hill, while Quebec counters with Dan Sausville (4-1, 4.18 ERA).

COLONIALS NOTES: Lomack, signed Tuesday morning to fill in for the injured Matt Nandin (hamstring), batted .226 in 30 games with the Rockland Boulders with one homer and six RBI.  Prior to Tuesday, Lomack last played for Rockland on July 1st … Along with the addition of Lomack, the Colonials released outfielder/DH Rafael Cabreja.  Cabreja, who was a spark at the bottom of the lineup in 2010 (.307/13 HR/55 RBI), struggled mightily in his 2011 campaign, batting .185 with 5 RBI in 92 at bats … Righty reliever Chris Rubio returned to the mound after leaving his debut appearance Sunday with a strained oblique.  Rubio delivered a scoreless ninth inning on 19 pitches, allowing one hit … Benches cleared following the top of the fifth inning when shortstop Jeff Helps took exception to what he felt was a hard tag from Flores at first base.  No punches were thrown and order was restored quickly.