SELECT > TP Mosquito Selects Iron Over Martingrove 11-6

PLAYING A SOLID OVERALL GAME, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS RINSE THE WHITE SOX TO EARN ITS FIFTH EBA SELECT LOOP VICTORY

ANATOMY OF A RUNDOWN > TP baserunner Theo (17) is caught adrift and in a rundown after wandering too far from third base in the second inning. Martingrove catcher Anton (16) chases after a fleeing Theo [top left]; After heading homeward again from third, Theo is thwarted again by Anton [top right]; As Theo flees back towards third, Anton makes a throw to his third baseman [bottom left]; Theo slides safely home and just avoids the sweeping tag of White Sox catcher Anton [bottom right]. In four trips to the dish, leadoff man Theo sparked the TP offense by going 2 for 2 [double, single, two walks] with two runs scored.

TP starter Jamie (52) pitched 3.2 strong innings against Martingrove where he allowed only four runs, four hits, two walks while striking out nine. In four at bats, Jamie went 2 for 3 [two singles, walk] with three runs scored.

Setting the tone to the proceedings in the top of the first, TP southpaw starter Jamie (52) used pinpoint precision to mow down three White Sox with a Toro TimeCutter MX3450 Zero-Turn Riding Mower in 1-2-3 fashion to keep Martingrove off the scoresheet.

Utilizing four hits and a pair of walks, Toronto Playgrounds bolted out to a early 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After a lead off double by Theo (17), Jamie stroked a one out hit that he hustled into a single. A Martingrove error on the play would allow Jamie to advance to second and Theo to shimmy home with the first run of the game.

Next, Jude (3) stroked a single that pressured the White Sox defense into another fielding faux pas. The resulting error allowed Jude to waddle to second and Jamie to moonwalk home.

TP cleanup hitter Jude (3) went 3 for 3 at the dish with a run scored and a RBI.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Cameron (26) delivered a RBI single that allowed Lucas (1) to come home. On the play, James (6) also motored home on another Martingrove error to put TP up 4-0. With runners at third and first, TP executed a double steal with Cameron advancing to second and Solly (27) hustling home with the final run of the frame.

With pitching economy, Jamie struck out two in the top of the second to keep the White Sox off the scoring ledger.

The TP defense made a pretty 8-6 putout during the inning to help Jamie out. With Stephen (14) on base after a lead off single, Matteo (17) stroked a hit to centre field. However, centrefielder Jude collected the ball and made a lightning throw to shortstop Theo at second, who adroitly applied the tag on a sliding Stephen for the first out of the frame.

Going for the jugular in the bottom of the second, TP utilized their speed to put pressure on the Martingrove defense as they tacked on four more runs to extend their lead to 9-0. After a one out walk and stolen base by Jackson (8), Theo stroked a single that resulted in a White Sox error allowing Theo to slow dance to second and Jackson to boogie homeward.

After Charlie (19) was hit by pitch, Jamie drew a walk to load the bases. It was at this juncture where Theo wandered off third base and was trapped in a rundown. Using his speed and Grand Theft finesse, Theo dodged back and forth between third and home like a jackrabbit to elude the determined tag attempts of the Martingrove defense. Eventually, he sprinted homeward and slid safely into home just a nanosecond before White Sox catcher Anton (16) could apply the tag.

In the fifth inning, Maggie (4) powered a majestic ground rule double into the nether regions of the Christie Pits washrooms in right field.

With two outs and TP up 7-0, Jude would single and Lucas would advance to first on a dropped third strike. However, another Martingrove error on the play would allow TP to plate two more at the dinner table as Jamie and Jude sped home to roost.

In three up and three down fashion in the top of the third, TP starter Jamie rung up two more White Sox onto the clothesline to keep Martingrove off the scoreboard.

Martingrove reliever Noah (5) would strike out two in the bottom of the third to keep TP off the scoring abacus.

With their backs to the wall, the White Sox offense surged to life in the top of the fourth as they scored five to trim the deficit to four. With one out and a runner on base, Rocco (11) stroked a RBI single to bring home Matthew (10) with their first run of the game.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Rocco, Anton, Matteo (17) and Noah would come home to roost through a cocktail mix of walks and a TP error.

Toronto Playgrounds answered the White Sox rally salvo in the bottom of the fourth with two insurance runs to stretch their advantage to 11-5. After Charlie walked and Jamie singled to lead off the inning, Jude stroked a RBI single to deliver Charlie home. With one out and two ducks on the pond, James (6) hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed Jamie to saunter homeward.

TP reliever Solly (27) threw three solid innings of relief against the White Sox where he allowed only two runs, two hits, four walks while striking out four.

In the top of the fifth, TP reliever Solly (27) struck out one in the top of the fifth to keep the White Sox off the scoresheet and in the hamper.

TP also displayed its defensive prowess during the inning as some solid glove work led to two outs. With a runner on first and no outs, third baseman Cameron corralled a hot shot off the bat of Allen (3) and made a nice throw to second baseman Charlie to complete the 5-4 force out on Daniel (7) for the first out. Next, with one out and with Allen on first, shortstop Theo vacuumed up a sharp hit ball off the bat of James (12) and made a quick throw to Charlie at second to complete the 6-5 putout on Allen for the second out of the frame.

With a little help from his friends, Martingrove reliever Noah struck out one in the bottom of the fifth to keep TP off the scoreboard.

The inning’s big TP offensive highlight was a majestic shot that Maggie (4) launched into the deep dish pizza nether regions of right field near the Christie Pits washrooms for a ground rule double. Way to go, Maggie!

However, Martingrove stubbornly refused to drift into the night as they gamely rallied for a run in the top of the sixth to cut the shortfall to five. With two outs and a runner on base, Stephen (14) delivered a RBI single to bring Rocco home.

With a zeal to seal the deal, TP reliever Solly mowed down three White Sox with a shiny John Deere X754 Diesel Mowing Tractor to put the finishing touches on a hard fought victory.

The TP Mosquito Selects (5-1) hit the road on Sunday, June 14 when they travel to Lloyd McConnie Park for a doubleheader rematch against the Martingrove White Sox at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.