A GRITTY TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS TEAM CLAW BACK FROM A 4-1 DEFICIT TO PREVAIL OVER THE PESKY WOLVERINES AT PELMO PARK AND EARN ITS TWELFTH EBA MOSQUITO SELECT LOOP VICTORY
Game Post composed with file from Dora Parks and Paul Ungerman
Beneath a ceiling of warm and hazy summer skies, the Toronto Playgrounds Major Mosquito Selects defeated the Weston Wolverines 7-4 in 4 ½ innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Mosquito Select Loop action this evening at Pelmo Park.
TP jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. After stroking a leadoff single, Arlo (15) swiped his way around Cape Horn to third base. A subsequent Weston error would allow Arlo to zoom home with the opening run of the game.
Weston starter Tommy (14) rang up two strikeouts and picked off a baserunner in the first inning to quell the TP insurgency.
The Wolverines quickly answered back with a run in the bottom of the first to tie the proceeding 1-1. After a leadoff walk, Myles (23) stole his way to second. Matthew (90) followed with a RBI double that brought Myles home with the equalizer.
Unfazed, TP starter Dylan (10) found the groove and coaxed a pair of fly outs and a strikeout to quash the Weston uprising.
Toronto Playgrounds threatened in the top half of the second after putting two runners on base. However, Weston starter Tommy ended the crisis with a strikeout, ground out and a nice play from his defence.
With two outs and TP runners at third and second, Wolverines third baseman Avis (28) and catcher Nixon (24) combined to erase a TP baserunner in a rundown between third and home and ring up the third out.
Feeding off the adrenaline of their big defensive play, Weston tallied three in the bottom of the second to take a 4-1 lead. After respective walks by Bryan (88) and Justin (3) that put two ducklings on the pond, Joshua (27) delivered a clutch two out two RBI triple that brought them home with the go ahead runs. In the blink of an eye, Joshua would steal home with brazen aplomb to give the Wolverines a three run advantage.
Shaken, but not stirred, TP starter Dylan rang up a strikeout and two pop outs in the second inning to quash the Weston rebellion.
In the top of the third, TP clawed back with a pair to trim the margin to 4-3. After a leadoff double, Arlo stole his way to third. Sean (13) followed with a groundout to first that allowed Arlo to come home to crow.
Following a two out double by Momo (18) and single by Dylan that put two capybaras on the diamond, William (33) stroked a grace under pressure RBI single that brought Momo home with a run.
Wolverines starter Tommy chalked up two groundouts and a fly out in the third frame to extinguish the TP mutiny.
After surrendering a leadoff double to Matthew to open the bottom portion of the third, TP reliever Momo found his mojo and tallied a fly out, strikeout and lineout to keep Weston off the scoring ledger.
With a measure of grit and spunk, Toronto Playgrounds rallied back with three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 6-4 advantage. Following back to back singles by Charles (11) and Leo (17) that put two aboard to open the inning, Arlo stroked a one out RBI single that advanced Leo to third and brought Charles home with the tying run.
Subsequently, with two outs and TP runners at third and second, Charlie would reach base on a dropped third strike. During the play, Arlo advanced to third and Leo charged homeward with the go ahead run.
With runners at third and second, Momo delivered a clutch RBI single that allowed Arlo to come home with a scrumptious slice of Dufflet Double Decker Chocolate Fudge Cake.
Weston reliever Myles would tally a pair of groundouts and a strikeout in the fourth to extinguish the TP insurrection.
The Wolverines threatened in the bottom of the fourth after getting two aboard courtesy of walk by Bryan and a double by Dawson (89). However, TP reliever Momo dug deep into his wily bag of tricks to chalk up a fly out, lineout and strikeout to leave the Weston baserunners stranded and off the scoresheet.
In the top of the fifth, TP added an insurance run to their bootylicious treasure chest to increase their lead to 7-4. Following a pair of walks to open the inning by William and Rocco (99) that put two aboard the Good Ship Lollipop, Leo delivered a one out RBI bunt single that allowed William to storm homeward with the Lou Malnati’s Chicago Deep Dish Pizza.
Weston reliever Myles would ring up two strikeouts and a groundout in the fifth to subjugate the TP civil disobedience.
Making his grand entrance from the bullpen, TP reliever Arlo tallied a pair of strikeouts and a fly out in the bottom of the fifth to bring the curtain down on the TP victory.