By JOSH CUTLER

PLANET VALENTI Sports

(PITTSFIELD, MONDAY Aug. 8, 2011, Game of Sunday, AUG. 7, 2011) — A dirty uniform couldn’t phase New Jersey centerfielder Seth Smith’s performance on Sunday afternoon.

Smith’s 5-6 offensive attack against Pittsfield pitching propelled the New Jersey Jackals to an 8-4 victory over the Colonials before 545 fans at Historic Wahconah Park.

Jackals Get to Flores Early, Tack On In Middle Innings

New Jersey’s bats immediately jumped on Pittsfield starter Miguel Flores (2-8, 4.54 ERA), picking up two quick runs in the first inning on a Myron Leslie RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Mike Jones.

Up 2-1 in the fifth, New Jersey added another run when Leslie reached on an error by shortstop Danny Bomback, allowing Smith to score and give the Jackals a 3-1 lead.

New Jersey put the game away for good in the sixth, tallying three more runs off of Flores.  Nick Santomauro led the inning off with an infield single, followed by a bunt single by Chris White.  After Chris Anderson grounded out, Smith’s single to left brought home Santomauro to make it 4-1.  Mike DeJesus added another run with a sacrifice fly, and D’Angelo Jimenez followed with a ground rule double to right center to make it a 6-1 game.

Flores allowed six runs (four earned) in his six innings of work, walking four and striking out four on 109 pitches, 65 for strikes.

Pittsfield Makes Charge, But Not Enough Against Wideman

Pittsfield was unable to do much early against Jackals’ starter A.J. Wideman (3-2, 4.32 ERA), tallying single runs in the third and sixth innings.  The Colonials threatened in the seventh, scoring two runs care of a Bomback single to left plating two runs, but the threat was ended when Bomback was picked off of first base by Wideman.

Jackals relievers Jared Locke and Jeff Gogal combined to pitch 2 1/3 innings of shutout baseball in relief of Wideman, allowing only one Colonials hit.

Santomauro added two hits for the Jackals, while Billy Mottram and Angel Molina contributed two hits apiece for Pittsfield.

COLONIALS NOTES: Due to a late injury to catcher Scott Knazek, Bomback was once again forced into catching duty (with Chris Torres doing the DHing and then pitching in the 9^th) … Torres made his fifth appearance of the season out of the Pittsfield bullpen, turning in a scoreless ninth inning … Prior to the game, Colonials’ reliever Rafael Lluberes (elbow) was re-activated to the roster.  Lluberes made his first appearance since July 10, allowing one run on one hit in the eighth inning, walking two and striking out one.