TAKING FLIGHT, THE CARDINALS PREVAIL OVER TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS IN A CHILLY VICTORIA DAY AFFAIR AT CHRISTIE PITS
Beneath an overcast ceiling of chilly willy Victoria Day skies, the Royal York White defeated the Toronto Playgrounds Minor Mosquito Selects 15-2 in four innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Mosquito Select Loop action this afternoon at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
Despite the frigid conditions, the proceeding was an entertaining contest between two talented teams. In the end, the gritty Cardinals made the most of their opportunities to prevail for the victory over a pesky TP squad.
In the top of the first, Royal York staked itself to an early 3-0 lead. After Wyatt (29) stroked a leadoff single, Logan (19) delivered a RBI double to bring Wyatt home with the opening run of the game.
With a runner at second, Hunter (11) followed with a RBI double that brought Logan home with the bacon. Subsequently, as Hunter stole third, a TP error on the play allowed Hunter to come homeward with another run.
Nonplussed, TP starter Ben (15) tallied a pair of groundouts in the first to quell the Cardinals uprising.
Ben also received a sweet defensive gem from his friends during the inning. After garnering a one out walk, Royal York’s Alec (8) made a brazen move to steal second base. However, TP catcher Alex (65) made a laser throw to shortstop Charles (11), who adroitly slapped the tag on Alec to thwart his Grand Theft dreams and ring up a 2-6 putout.
TP answered back with a run in the bottom half of the first to trim the gap to 3-1. After drawing a one out walk, Sawyer (11) stole his way around the horn to third. Following a two out walk by Alex that put ducks on the pond, TP executed a double steal that allowed Alex to advance to second and brought Sawyer home with TP’s first run.
Cardinals starter Alec (8) would strikeout three in the first frame to subdue the TP insurgency.
The Royal York White replied with five in the top of the second to extend their lead to 8-1. After Sam (18), Nate (2) and Owen (28) led off the inning with consecutive walks to load the bases, William (1) hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Nate at third and brought Sam home with a run.
With two runners on base, Wyatt launched a majestic one out triple that brought Owen and William homeward with the Oreo cookies.
After a two out walk by Hunter that put runners at first and third, the Red Birds executed a double steal that moved Hunter to second and brought Wyatt home to roost. Ryan (25) followed with a clutch RBI single that allowed Hunter to bring Hunter homeward.
In a gritty foray on the hill, TP reliever Hudson (18) chalked up a groundout, strikeout and pop out in the second to extinguish the Cardinals insurrection.
TP threatened in the bottom portion of the second when Hudson and Henry K. (13) led off the inning with back to back walks that put two otters on the lake.
Shaken, but not stirred, Royal York White starter Alec found his mojo in the second frame and mowed down the next three batters in 1-2-3 fashion to quash the TP threat.
With the wind in their wings, the Cardinals tacked on four runs in the top of the third to increase their advantage to 12-1. Following a leadoff single and stolen base by Ruben (21), Daniel (3) stroked a RBI single to bring Ruben home to crow.
Subsequently, with a runner on third, Nate delivered a one out RBI single to bring Daniel homeward.
After a walk by Owen put two Red Birds on base at third and first, William hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Owen at second. A TP faux pas on the play would allow both Nate and William to fly home to the nest with a pair of runs.
In a spirited effort on the mound, TP southpaw reliever Julian (77) tallied a groundout and two strikeouts in the third to terminate the Royal York mutiny.
Royal York reliever Wyatt (29) chalked up a groundout and two strikeouts in the bottom of the third to keep TP off the scoring ledger.
The Cardinals added three insurance runs in the top half of the fourth to stretch their lead to 15-1. After a leadoff walk and a pair of stolen bases by Logan, Hunter stroked a RBI single to bring him home.
With two outs, Ruben and Daniel garnered back to back walks to load the bases. Sam followed and was hit by pitch, forcing Hunter home from third. Nate followed suit with a bases loaded RBI walk to bring Ruben home.
Unfazed, TP reliever Chase (23) found the groove and recorded a groundout and two K’s in the fourth to suppress the Royal York insurrection.
Refusing to go quietly into the night, TP gamely donned their rally caps in the bottom of the fourth. Following a leadoff walk, Sawyer made a bold dash for second base. As he slid safely into second, Royal York committed an error that allowed Sawyer to come homeward with a run.
With ice in his veins, Cardinals closer Logan (19) rung up a groundout and a pair of strikeouts in the fourth frame to bring the curtain down on the proceedings.
The TP Minor Mosquito Selects (1-3) continue their EBA Mosquito Select Loop homestand at Christie Pits Diamond 2 next Sunday (May 26) when they host the Martingrove White at 6:00 p.m.
