DOWN 9-7, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS RALLY WITH A PAIR IN THE FINAL INNING TO DEADLOCK THE WHITE SOX IN A HOT TIN ROOF EBA 13U SELECT LOOP AFFAIR AT CHRISTIE PITS
Under a blanket of hot and hazy summer skies, the Toronto Playgrounds 13U Blue Selects and Martingrove White Sox played to a 9-9 draw in five innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 13U Select Loop action this morning at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
Despite the extremely humid weather, the proceeding was an entertaining and well played back and forth seesaw contest between two talented and well coached teams. In the end, a gritty TP squad erased a two run deficit in their final at bats to tie up the pesky White Sox.
The White Sox staked themselves to an early 3-0 lead in the top portion of the first inning. After a leadoff single, Shwas (15) swiped his way around the horn to third base with a pair of saucy steals. With one out, JM stroked a RBI hit to bring Shwas home with the opening run of the game.
After Simon (14) reached base on a fielder’s choice that erased JM at second, Lorenzo (27) crushed a two out grace under pressure two run Wooly Mammoth home run blast over the chain linked fence in left field.
Unfazed, TP starter Oliver (35) rang up a groundout and two strikeouts in the first inning to end the White Sox uprising.
In lickety-split fashion, TP answered back with a four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-3 lead. With one out, Tyler (26) hustled down the line like a gazelle to reach base on a single. On the play, Martingrove committed a two base error that allowed Tyler to advance to third base.
After Oliver and Emmett (52) garnered back to back walks to load the bases, Hudson (18) delivered a clutch two out RBI single that brought Tyler home with TP’s first run. A White Sox faux pas on the play allowed Oliver and Emmett to blaze home with the game tying runs.
With a runner on second, Julian (77) muscled a RBI hit that brought Hudson homeward with the go ahead run.
Shaken, but not stirred, Martingrove starter Lorenzo chalked up three strikeouts in the first frame to vanquish the TP insurrection.
In the top of the second, the White Sox replied with a run to tie the game 4-4. After Shwas and Martin (29) drew consecutive walks to open the inning, JM stroked a RBI single that brought Shwas home with the game tying run.
Cool as a cucumber, TP reliever Tyler tallied two strikeouts in the second inning to terminate the White Sox mutiny.
Tyler also helped his cause with a sweet defensive play. Following a one out walk by Lorenzo that loaded the bases, Martin made brazen move at third base to steal home. As he commenced his slide into the plate, TP catcher Mike (9) took the throw from Tyler and tagged Martin out on a nifty 1-2 gem to thwart his Grand Theft dreams.
Toronto Playgrounds added a pair to their haul in the bottom half of the second to take a 6-4 advantage. After a leadoff walk and stolen base by Jacob (4), Oliver stroked a one out RBI hit that allowed Jacob to motor home with the go ahead score.
Subsequently, with two outs and a runner on second base, Mike delivered a RBI single to bring Oliver home.
With unflappable resolve, Martingrove reliever Sam (10) tallied a pop out and two strikeouts in the second frame to curtail the TP revolt.
The White Sox threatened in the top of the third after Sam drew a walk and advanced into scoring position at third base courtesy of a pair of brassy steals.
However, TP reliever Tyler tallied a pop out, strikeout and groundout in the third frame to leave him stranded.
In the bottom of the third, TP threatened after Austin (29) reached base on a hit by pitch and a single from Milo (21).
Reaching into his bag of tricks, Martingrove reliever Sam chalked up a strikeout, pop out and groundout to terminate the TP uprising in the third inning.
The White Sox stormed back with two in the top of the fourth to deadlock the proceeding at 6-6. After JM reached base on a TP error, Simon garnered a walk that put two ducks on the pond. Lorenzo followed with a RBI single to centre field to bring JM home and close the gap to one.
On the play, TP rose to the occasion with a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious defensive play to nullify a Martingrove run. As the ball fell onto the outfield grass, White Sox baserunner Simon made an unabashed decision to follow JM home. With Simon charging down the third baseline, TP centre fielder Hudson retrieved the ball and made a rocket toss to shortstop Tyler, Tyler pivoted and made a lightning throw to TP catcher Mike, who slapped an out-and-out tag on Simon to ring up highlight reel 8-6-2 putout.
Following a pair of walks by Daniel (85) and Sam that loaded the bases, Shwas delivered a clutch two out RBI single that allowed Lorenzo to come homeward with the tying run.
In a gritty effort on the hill, TP reliever Julian (77) tallied a pop out and and a groundout to end the White Sox dissent in the fourth inning.
Kudos to TP catcher Mike, who battled the glare of the noon day sun to make an All-Star catch behind home plate to ring up the second out.
TP answered back with a run in the bottom portion of the fourth to retake the upper hand 7-6. Following a leadoff double by Oliver, Mike delivered a one out RBI hit to bring Oliver home with the go ahead run.
White Sox reliever Sam recorded a pair of pop outs and a groundout in the fourth frame to quell the TP sedition.
Taking umbrage at their situation, Martingrove rallied with three in the top half of the fifth to take a 9-7 lead. After leading off the inning with a single, JM swiped his way around the horn to third base with a pair of derring-do steals. With one out, Lorenzo stroked a RBI hit to bring JM home with the tying run.
After Daniel drew a walk that put two aboard, Lorenzo made a bold as brass theft of third base. On the play, TP committed an error that allowed Lorenzo to blaze home with the White Sox go ahead run.
With a runner on third, James (46) hit into groundout that brought Daniel home with another run.
TP reliever Austin entered the fray from the bullpen in the fifth inning to chalk up two groundouts to extinguish the White Sox insubordination.
Refusing to accept their circumstance, Toronto Playgrounds donned their rally caps in the bottom of the fifth to stage a comeback bid. After a leadoff single by Jasper (6), Austin drew a walk that put two mallards on the lake, Milo followed with a RBI hit that allowed Jasper to come home and make it a one run game.
After Tyler reached base on a fielder’s choice that erased Milo at second base and moved Austin to third, Oliver drew two out walk that loaded the bases. Exercising patience at the dish, Emmett garnered a bases loaded RBI walk that brought Austin home with TP’s tying run.
With the bases juiced to the max and the game on the line, Martingrove reliever Simon entered the fray to chalk up a clutch groundout to preserve the tie.
EXTRA INNINGS
