IN A TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS FAMILY AFFAIR, THE BLUE PREVAIL OVER THE RED FOR THE EBA 13U SELECT GAME VICTORY AT CHRISTIE PITS
Beneath a Saran Wrap covering of hot and hazy summer skies, the Toronto Playgrounds 13U Blue Selects defeated the Toronto Playgrounds 13U Red Selects 12-3 in 4½ innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Select Loop action this morning at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
In the top of the first, TP Red threatened after Thomas (28) reached base with a double.
Unfazed, TP Blue starter Hudson (18) induced a pop out, strikeout and groundout in the first inning to keep TP Red off the scoring ledger.
Taking care of business, TP Blue staked itself to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the first. After a leadoff walk and stolen base by Henry (14), Tyler (26) stroked a RBI single that allowed Henry to motor home with the opening run of the game.
Following a brazen steal of second base by Tyler, Mike (9) took advantage of a dropped third strike to reach base safely, With runners on third and first, an errant TP Red pickoff attempt resulted in a error that allowed Mike to move to second and Tyler to score.
After Mike swiped third with aplomb, Oliver (35) delivered a RBI double to bring him home.
Shaken, but not stirred, TP Red starter Jesse (77) found the groove and rang up three strikeouts to end the TP Blue uprising in the first inning.
With true grit, TP Blue reliever Julian (77) retired TP Red in 1-2-3 fashion in the top portion of the second with a groundout and two succulent strikeouts.
Keeping the pedal on the metal, TP Blue added three more to their tally in the bottom of the second to widen their lead to 6-0.
After reaching base on a dropped third strike to open the inning, Jacob (4) took advantage of a TP Red error on the play to advance to to second base. Following a walk by Austin (29) that put runners at third and first, TP Blue executed a bold as brass double steal that allowed Austin to move over to second and brought Jacob home with a run.
Following a walk by Jasper (6) that put runners at third and first, Austin took advantage of a TP Red wild pitch to blaze homeward and score a run.
After a walk by Emmett (52) that put two aboard, Tyler delivered a one out RBI sacrifice fly to centre field which allowed Jasper to come home with the bacon from third base.
With two outs and TP Blue runners at third and first, the TP Red defence rose to the challenge to foil a TP Blue theft of second base and ring up the third out.
TP Red starter Jesse tallied two fly outs in the second frame to quash the TP Blue insurgency.
In the top of the third, TP Red threatened following a double by Tristan (65).
Cool as a cucumber, TP Blue reliever Emmett tallied three groundouts in the third frame to vanquish the TP Red mutiny and keep them off the scoresheet.
The TP Blue Machine continued to churn in the bottom of the third as they added another three runs to their haul and widened their upper hand to 9-0.
After Hudson reached base on a TP Red error with one out, Milo (21) and Payton (3) garnered back to back walks to load the bases. With Conga Line precision, Jacob, Austin and Jasper followed with respective bases loaded RBI walks to bring Hudson, Milo and Payton home with the Baskin Robbins Baseball Nut flavoured ice cream.
With one out and the bases still juiced to the gills, the TP Red defence came up with a big play to extricate themselves from a sticky wicket.
After TP Red reliever Charles (36) delivered his pitch, TP Blue batter Emmett smoked a screaming line drive towards first baseman Jesse, who made a lickety-split jump in the air to snag the ball in the shoestrings of his his trusty mitt to ring up the second out. Noticing that the TP Blue baserunner had wandered afar from first on the play, Jesse hustled over and tagged Jasper out to tally the solo double play.
Taking umbrage at their circumstance, the TP Red offence stirred to life in the top half of the fourth as they scored a pair to trim the gap to 9-2.
Following a pair of one out singles by Reuben (19) and Thomas (28) that put two ducklings on the pond, Jacob (37) delivered a two out grace under pressure RBI hit that brought Reuben home with TP Red’s first run.
With runners on third and first, an errant TP Blue pickoff attempt would advance Jacob to second and allow Thomas to bolt homeward with a run.
Unruffled, TP Blue reliever Milo found his mojo and chalked up a strikeout, fly out and pop out to curtail the TP Red coup d’état in the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, TP Blue tallied three insurance runs to stretch their advantage to 12-2.
After a one out walk, Tyler advanced to third base courtesy of a TP Red faux pas and a stolen base. Mike followed with a RBI hit to bring Tyler home.
Flexing his Grand Theft prowess, Mike proceeded to swipe his way around the horn to third with a pair of derring-do steals, With two outs, Hudson delivered a clutch RBI single that allowed Mike to score.
Following a steal of second by Hudson, Milo powered a RBI double that brought Hudson home with some Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Buns.
Unflummoxed, TP Red reliever Charles chalked up a groundout, fly out and a pop out in the fourth frame to extinguish the TP Blue insurrection.
Refusing to quietly into the steaming noon day sun, TP Red donned their rally caps in the top of the fifth to make one last stand to stay alive at the TP Corral.
After a one out single by Charles, Lucas drew a walk that put two swans on the lake. Tristan followed with a RBI hit that brought Charles home with the Lou Malnati’s Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza.
With unflappable resolve, TP Blue closer Henry rang up three groundouts in the fifth inning to terminate the TP Red rally and seal the deal on the victory.
EXTRA INNINGS
