IN A WELL PLAYED DEFENSIVE BATTLE WHERE RUNS CAME AT A PREMIUM, THE BOMBERS EKE OUT A WIN OVER TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS AT CHRISTIE PITS
Top to bottom: Aaron (21) went 2 for 2 at the plate for the Rookie Ball Selects with two runs scored and a RBI; Jacob (7) went 2 for 2 at the dish (single, double) with a run scored and a RBI.
Beneath very warm and hazy skies this afternoon at Christie Pits Diamond 3, the Bloordale (2) Bombers edged our TP Rookie Ball Selects 5-4 in a taut and exciting six innings of EBA West Select Loop action.
TP catcher Eli (22) caught another five solid innings behind the plate.
Both Toronto Playgrounds and Bloordale displayed solid defense throughout the proceedings. As a result, runs came at a high premium in a low scoring affair.
The Bombers opened the scoring in the top of the first when they scored a pair to jump out to an early 2-0 lead.
TP went down in 1-2-3 fashion in the bottom of the first.
The Rookie Ball Selects made a series of strong defensive plays in the top of the second to keep Bloordale off the bases and off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the second, Toronto Playgrounds tied the game with a pair of runs. After Aaron (21) and Jacob (7) had both singled to lead off the inning, Hassan (9) powered a RBI double to bring Aaron home. A resulting Bloordale error allowed Jacob to score the tying run.
SUPER KIRBY > Whether it was at first base or rover, Ishan (19) was like a ‘Kirby’ defensively as he vacuumed up every Bloordale ball hit his way.
The Bombers scored a run in the top of the third to retake the lead 3-2. However, the Rookie Ball Selects displayed some Gold Glove defense during the inning that allowed them to escape with minimal damage. With Bloordale runners at second and first and no outs, TP third baseman Oskar (6) corralled a hot shot off the bat of Cameron (81) and made a heads up unassisted tag on Bloordale baserunner Sammy (30), who was trying to advance to third from second, to record the first out.
On the very next play, TP pitcher James (35) snared a sizzling shot off of the bat of Bloordale’s Paul (45) near the pitching machine and he had the wherewithal to make a laser throw to third baseman Oskar to record the second out at third. Later, TP first baseman Ishan (19) corralled a hot grounder off the bat of Riley (1) of Bloordale and made the unassisted putout at first to record the final out of the inning.
Battling the extreme humidity and the offerings of the pitching machine, the Rookie Ball Selects went down in order in the bottom of the third.
A series of big hits by the Bombers in the top of the fourth allowed them to score two insurance runs and extend their advantage to 5-2.
TP gamely rallied for a pair in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to one. With two outs and a runner on base, Aaron delivered a RBI single that allowed Luca (11) to score. Jacob followed with a clutch RBI double that brought Aaron home.
After stretching to receive the throw from TP pitcher James (35), first baseman Eli (22) slides his left foot to the first base bag to complete the 1-3 putout in the sixth inning.
Some super Rookie Ball Select defense in the top of the fifth kept the Bombers off the scoresheet. TP Rover Ishan made two stellar unassisted putouts at second base to record the first two outs of the inning. Battling the glare of the bright sun, TP shortstop Colby (28) made a nice catch on a sky high pop up to record the final out of the inning.
Toronto Playgrounds put two runners on base during the bottom of the fifth. However, the Bombers made some solid defensive plays to extricate themselves from the inning.
The TP defense stood tall again in the top of the sixth as they kept the Bombers off the scoreboard. With a Bloordale runner at first, TP shortstop Colby deftly fielded a hot grounder off of the bat of Bloordale’s Riley and adroitly made the throw to second baseman Hassan to complete a 6-4 force and record the first out of the inning.
Next, TP first baseman Eli (22) snared a hot shot off the bat of Devan (5) of the Bombers and made an unassisted putout at first for the second out. With a Bloordale runner at third and two outs, TP pitcher James corralled a sizzler off the bat of Bloordale’s Gregory (6) and made a strong throw to first baseman Eli to record the final out.
Trailing 5-4, the Rookie Selects managed to get the potential tying run on base in the bottom of the sixth. However, the Bombers made some big defensive plays to keep TP off the board and emerge with the victory.
The Rookie Ball Selects (2-4) travel to Woodford Park on Tuesday, June 25 to play their next game against the Royal York Cardinals at 6:30 p.m.