TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS FENDS OFF A PESKY ATHLETICS RALLY BID IN THE FINAL INNING TO CHALK UP THEIR FIFTH EBA SELECT VICTORY
Under a genteel ceiling of warm and hazy summer skies, our Toronto Playgrounds Mosquito Selects edged the Annette (Minor) A’s 9-8 in 4 ½ innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Select action this evening at Christie Pits Diamond 2 to earn their fifth victory of the season and remain undefeated.With 1-2-3 efficiency, TP starter Julien (20) would strike out two in the top of the first to keep the Athletics off the scoring ledger.
In the top of the first, TP would stake themselves to an early 3-0 lead. Charlie (7) would lead off the frame with a single and advance to second on a stolen base. After Jordan (10) singled to put two mallards on the lake, Theo (17) delivered a sacrifice hit that allowed Charlie to come home with the first run of the game.
After Jayden (30) walked to put two aboard, Solly (27) stroked a RBI single that allowed Jordan to come homeward bound. Ezra (14) followed with a one out sacrifice hit that allowed Jayden to come home to roost.
Annette starter Sammy (10) would strike out one in the first to subdue the TP insurgency.
TP starter Julien would strike out two in the top of the second to keep the A’s off the scoresheet.
Julien would be helped out during the inning on a nice solo defensive putout from his catcher. As Annette’s Riley (3) made a brazen bid to steal home with two outs, TP catcher Vince (19) held his ground and tagged out him out in a chitty chitty bang bang play at the plate to ring up the third out.
Toronto Playgrounds would add three more runs in the bottom of the second to widen their advantage to 6-0. After Cooper (42) led off the inning with a single and a stolen base, Tavaris (55) brought him home with a RBI triple.
Lucas (46) followed with a RBI single that allowed Tavaris to come home to crow. Subsequently, Jordan would deliver a two out RBI single to bring Lucas home.
Exercising patience at the dish, Annette would feast upon a buffet serving of seven walks in the top of the third to rally for five runs and trim the deficit to one.
In the bottom of the third, TP would answer back with three to widen their lead to 9-5. After Theo doubled to lead off the frame, Jayden would reach first on an A’s defensive error to put two ducks on the pond. With one out, Ezra would deliver a sacrifice hit that allowed Theo to come homeward.
Vince would follow with a RBI single that allowed Jayden to come home to crow. After Cooper was hit by pitch and Tavaris walked to load the bases, Lucas would garner a RBI walk that allowed Vince to shimmy on home.
TP reliever Jordan (10) would strike out two in the top of the fourth to keep Annette off the scoreboard.
Jordan would get a little defensive help from his friends during the inning. With one out, TP third baseman Solly would vacuum up a slow chopper off the bat of Dylan (6) and make a rocket throw to first baseman Ezra to complete a nice 5-3 putout and chalk up the second out.
Annette reliever Cam (4) would hold the TP offense off the scoring abacus in the bottom of the fourth.
Refusing to surrender, the pesky A’s would take advantage of six walks in the top of the fifth to score three and slice the margin to 9-8.
With the bases loaded and the game on the line, TP closer Charlie (7) would eventually strike out three to seal the deal on a razor thin victory over the pesky Athletics.