LAKEWOOD, NJ - Jose Pujols homered for the third straight game in leading the BlueClaws to a 7-1 win over Kannapolis on Father's Day at FirstEnergy Park.

Pujols now leads the league with 13 home runs on the year and has homered in three straight games for the second time this season.

The win gives the BlueClaws three of four over Kannapolis and they finish the first half at 29-40 with wins in five of their last seven games. Kannapolis (23-47) finishes the first half with losses in 10 of their last 11 games.

Tyler Gilbert (3-7) earned the win, throwing five scoreless innings on five hits with five strikeouts.

The BlueClaws wasted no time in scoring. Grenny Cumana led off the bottom of the first inning with an infield single and he was doubled home by Jiandido Tromp to give the BlueClaws a 1-0 lead.

Tromp, with his first-inning RBI double, extended his hitting streak to 14, breaking a tie with Wilson Garcia for the longest hitting streak by a BlueClaw this year.

The BlueClaws then blew open the game with a five-run bottom of the fifth inning. Tromp and Josh Tobias had RBI singles before Pujols' home run off reliever Yelmison Peralta.

Kannapolis starter Jonathan Frebis (4-6) allowed four runs in 4.1 innings of work and took the loss.

Grenny Cumana, Jiandido Tromp, and Josh Tobias all had two hits for the BlueClaws while Tromp drove in two and Pujols drove in three.

The BlueClaws open the second half of the season on Thursday night at Greenville. RHP Harold Arauz (3-4) starts the second half opener for Lakewood.

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