Capitales edge Tornadoes; Worcester's Guerrero strikes out 9 in a losing effort.

Byline: Jim Wilson 

WORCESTER - It was a different day but the same story for the Tornadoes.

For the second night in a row, Worcester got an outstanding pitching performance from its starter, but for the second consecutive night the Quebec staff was just a hair better as the Capitales edged the Tornadoes, 4-3, last night at Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field.

Last night's tough-luck loser was the resurgent Junior Guerrero, who turned in his third straight great performance. On Friday night, Quebec also took a 4-3 victory, as Quebec edged Matt Weagle after Weagle fanned a career-high nine batters in a complete-game loss.

"It seemed like we couldn't put together a big inning tonight," Worcester catcher Alex Trezza said. "We usually string together three or four hits and we didn't tonight. That was the difference."

After a handful of tough outings in the middle of the year, Guerrero seemed to turn it around. In his previous two starts, Guerrero gave up just two earned runs over 13 innings and scattered 13 hits and struck out seven.

Last night Guerrero was impressive, fanning nine (five swinging, four looking) while scattering six hits and four runs over 6-1/3 innings. The nine strikeouts matched his season high, as Guerrero fanned nine in his first start of the season against Sussex in just five innings of work. His career-high was 11 batters against the Skyhawks in 2006.

"The last three starts it's seemed like I've had my stuff together," Guerrero said. "Before, I was having trouble with my arm or elbow and now it feels like I've gotten everything back. It's easy when you feel like you're 100 percent and you can go compete."

Trezza said Guerrero has had a lively fastball recently and combined with his good breaking pitches, it's worked for him.

"I think he's doing a good job getting ahead of guys early, he's getting the ball down and he's using his fastball more to get ahead and put guys away," Trezza said. "He's given us six innings every night and that's huge for us, it gives us another weapon in our arsenal."

Guerrero has been working on not only his control of his pitches, but his emotions the past few contests.

"I want to be focused all the way to the end," Guerrero said. "People know when I start to get hit, I used to get mad and lose my focus. Now, I don't care. If I give up a base hit, I just want the ball back and get the next guy out."

The teams traded the lead throughout the game until Quebec took it back in the seventh, as Guerrero gave up a one-out double to Mike Goss before giving way to Ryan Lobban.

Lobban came on and threw a wild pitch that pushed Goss to third. He got Goefrey Tomlinson to hit a soft liner to right, but it was deep enough to score Goss to make it 4-3.

Worcester put its leadoff man on second base in the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn't score either time.

"I thought our pitching and our defense was good and we swung the bats well, they were just a run better tonight," Trezza said.

Scott Grimes tied the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to lead off the inning. It was his fourth home run this year off Quebec pitching and 15th of the season.

It has been a tough draw for Worcester hitters in this series. On Friday night, the Tornadoes got an outstanding complete-game effort from Weagle, but the bats couldn't get him the run support against Orlando Trias, who posted a 6-1 record since joining the Capitales.

Last night, Worcester faced Michel Simard, who came into the game with a 10-1 record and a 2.41 ERA, good for fourth in the league. Worcester faces Can-Am League ERA leader Luis Valdez at 1 p.m. today.

NAME: WORCESTER TORNADOES