TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS TAKE DOWN THE CARDINALS AT CHRISTIE PITS TO CAPTURE OPENING ROUND ROBIN QUALIFICATION PLAYOFF GAME
Game Post composed with file from Dora Parks and Paul Ungerman
Beneath a genteel blanket of warm and serene summer skies, the Toronto Playgrounds Major Mosquito Selects defeated the Royal York White 13-3 tonight in five innings at Christie Pits Diamond 3 to win their opening round robin qualification playoff game at the 2019 Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Mosquito Select Championship Tournament.
Royal York jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. After Wyatt (29) drew a leadoff walk, a TP error on a ground ball allowed Nate (2) to reach base and put two Red Birds aboard.
Then wily TP catcher Milo (27) made a Gold Glove play by picking off a wayfaring Nate at first base with a laser throw to tally the first out.
Subsequently, with two outs, Nathan (7) reached base on a TP faux pas. On the play, Wyatt came home with the opening run of the game.
With a dab of spit and polish, TP starter Charlie (8) found the groove and rang up two strikeouts to vanquish the Cardinals insurgency.
In the bottom portion of the first, Toronto Playgrounds rallied to take a 3-1 lead. After a leadoff single and stolen base by Momo (18), Cooper (3) stroked a one out RBI single to bring him home with the tying run.
After Cooper advanced to third base courtesy of a passed ball and wild pitch, Milo launched a RBI double to deliver him home with the go ahead run.
Following a pair of walks by Dylan (10) and William (33) that loaded the bases, Julian garnered a bases loaded RBI walk that allowed Milo to shuffle homeward.
Led by second baseman James, the Royal York defence would then turn in a pretty 4-3 double play to bring the TP rebellion to a close in the first inning.
TP starter Charlie tallied a fly out and a strikeout in the second frame to keep Royal York off the scoring ledger.
Charlie also received another big defensive play from his friends during the inning. After drawing a walk, Daniel made a brazen bid to steal second base. However, TP catcher Milo made a rocket throw to second to gun down Daniel and thwart his Grand Theft dreams and ring up the first out.
TP would explode for five in the bottom of the second to widen their advantage to 8-1. Exercising patience at the dish, Rocco (99), Sean (13) and Arlo (15) garnered consecutive walks to load the bases. Momo followed with a bases loaded RBI walk to bring Rocco home.
With one out and the bases still loaded, Cooper delivered a two RBI single that allowed Sean and Arlo to come homeward. On the play, the Royal York defence would rise to the occasion as Cardinals catcher Hunter (11) tagged out Momo to thwart his quest to come home and tally the second out.
With a runner on second, Milo stroked a RBI single to bring Cooper home. Following a walk by Dylan that put two ducklings on the pond, William stroked a RBI single to bring Milo home.
TP starter Charlie would mow down the Royal York batting order in the top of the third with three sizzling strikeouts to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard and grounded in their nest.
Toronto Playgrounds added another gold doubloon to their booty in the bottom of the third to increase their lead to 9-1. With one out, Sean and Arlo garnered a pair of walks to put two capybaras on the diamond. Momo followed with a RBI groundout that allowed Sean to motor home with the Reese’s Peanut Buttercups.
The curtain would come down on inning after Royal York catcher Ryan (25) threw out Arlo at third base to dash his Grand Theft dreams.
The Cardinals threatened in the top of the fourth after Wyatt and Nate garnered respective walks to put two aboard, However, TP starter Charlie and reliever William combined to strikeout three to end the Royal York rally bid unscathed.
After TP tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth to increase their lead to 10-1, the Cardinals rallied for a pair in the top of the fifth to close the deficit to seven.
TP added three insurance runs in the bottom of fifth to take home the victory prize.
The TP Major Mosquito Selects (1-0) journey at the EBA Tourney continues tomorrow (Saturday, August 17) morning at Ravina Gardens when they battle the Annette Red at 9:00 a.m.
GO! TP! GO!
