IN A FIVE ALARM ROCK ‘EM SOCK ‘EM BARNBURNER, THE GOLD BOMBERS FEND OFF A TENACIOUS FINAL INNING RALLY BID BY TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS TO HANG ON FOR THE 2023 EBA 13U SELECT LOOP VICTORY AT CHRISTIE PITS
Under a warm duvet of sunny skies, the Bloordale 13U Gold prevailed 20-17 over the Toronto Playgrounds 13U Red Selects in a Thrilla in Manila four inning Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 13U Select Loop game this afternoon at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
Taking flight, Bloordale sent a conga line procession of eighteen batters to the plate in the top half of the first frame as they parlayed an eleven hit fusillade into an early 14-0 lead.
After a leadoff hit and stolen base by Olivier (68), Dylan (5) stroked a RBI single that brought Olivier home with the opening run of the game.
With a runner on second base, Jaxon (81) reached base on a TP error. On the play, Dylan took advantage of the TP faux pas and hustled home with Bloordale’s second run.
On the next play, Nicholas (11) got on base courtesy of another TP error, which also allowed Jaxon to motor homeward and give the Gold Bombers a 3-0 upper hand.
Following a walk by Evan (83) and a single by Kristian (73) that loaded the bases, Matt (8) delivered a two RBI hit that allowed Nicholas and Evan to zoom home a pair of runs for the Gold.
With one out and runners on third and second, Frankie (26) connected for a RBI single that brought Kristian home with Bloordale’s sixth run.
Subsequently, with two outs and two ducks on the pond, Alessandro (13) stroked a clutch RBI hit that allowed Matt to blaze home with a Bombers run.
With a pair of runners on the dance floor, Alex connected for a RBI single that brought Frankie homeward. A TP error on the play would allow Alex to advance to second base and allow Alessandro to shimmy home with another run.
After Olivier reached base on a single, a TP faux pas on the play allowed Alex to scoot home and give Bloordale a ten run plurality.
Following a single by Dylan and a walk by Jaxon that loaded the bases, Nicholas delivered a grace under pressure two RBI hit that brought Olivier and Dylan home with two more runs for the high flying Bombers.
At this juncture in the proceedings, Bloordale baserunner Jaxon threw caution to the wind and bolted homeward from third base for a dramatic Grand Theft of home that made the fans in the bleacher seats checking if they had checked off the FanDuel steal of home parlay selection on their cellphones.
With a runner on second, Evan capped off Bloordale’s big inning with a RBI double that allowed Nicholas to hustle home with the Bombers fourteenth run.
In a nitty gritty foray on the hill, TP 13U Red starter Rami (29) rang up two strikeouts and a groundout to end the Bloordale insurgency in the first inning.
Licking their wounds, Toronto Playgrounds refused to throw in the towel as they answered back with a five spot in the bottom of the first to trim the margin to 14-5.
After drawing a leadoff walk, Jackson (22) swiped his way around the horn with a pair of derring-do steals that got him into scoring position at third base. Pouncing on a wild pitch uncorked by the Gold Bombers, Jackson charged home to score TP’s first run in a dramatic Pig Pen cloud of dust.
Following back to back walks by Brayden (9) and Kale (6) that put two aboard, Calvin (11) delivered a one out RBI single that brought Brayden home with another TP run.
After a two out walk by Jack (16) that loaded the bases, Rami, Tristan (19) and Gabe (55) drew respective bases loaded RBI walks that allowed Kalem Calvin and Jack to come home with three more TP runs.
With the bases loaded, Bloordale 13U Gold starter Olivier tallied three strikeouts to end the TP insurgency in the first inning.
In the top of the second, Bloordale replied with a run to extend their advantage to 15-5.
After a leadoff walk and stolen base by Matt, Toby (6) stroked a single. A TP error on the play would allow Matt to come home to roost with a Bloordale run.
TP 13U Red reliever Calvin chalked up a strikeout, pop out and groundout to curtail the Gold Bombers mutiny in the second frame.
Refusing to concede an inch, Toronto Playgrounds answered back with a pair in the bottom portion of the second to close the gap to 15-7.
After Cliff (23) reached base on a hit by pitch to open the inning, Jackson singled to put two mallards on the lake. With runners on third and second after a Bombers wild pitch, Billy (24) hit into a groundout that advanced Jackson to third base and allowed Cliff to come home with a TP run.
Following another wild pitch by the Gold Bombers, Jackson sped down the third baseline to score another TP run.
Bloordale 13U Gold reliever Evan rang up a groundout and a pair of strikeouts to put a kibosh on the TP rebellion in the second frame.
Not to be outdone, Bloordale responded with two runs in the top of the third to widen their upper hand to 17-7.
After leadoff single and stolen base by Olivier, Dylan garnered a walk that put two Gold Bombers on the runway. A subsequent TP error would allow Dylan to advance to second base and bring Olivier home with a run.
With one out and a runner on third, Nicholas drew a walk that put two aboard. It was at this juncture that Dylan bolted from third base and scored another Bloordale run with an audacious Grand Theft of home!
Unfazed, TP 13U Red reliever Gabe (55) tallied a strikeout, groundout and pop out to curtail the Bombers coup d’état in the third inning.
Like a bloodied prized fighter, Toronto Playgrounds punched back with a run in the bottom of the third to trail by nine.
After reaching base on a hit by pitch with one out, Brady (7) turned on the afterburners and swiped his way around the horn to third base. Seizing the day, Brady took advantage of a Bloordale defensive lapse to charge homeward and score a TP run on a brazen steal of home that trimmed the deficit to 17-8.
TP ramped up the pressure on the Bombers after respective walks by Jack, Rami and Tristan which loaded the bases.
With two outs, Bloordale reliever Jaxon entered the fray to tally a pop out that ended the TP threat in the third frame.
For good measure, Bloordale tacked on three insurance runs in the top portion of the fourth to stretch their plurality to 20-8.
Following a leadoff hit by Toby, Frankie drew a one out walk that put a pair of Bombers on the runway. With runners on third ans second, Alessandro delivered a two RBI double that allowed Toby and Frankie to motor home with a pair of runs for the Gold.
With two outs and a runner on tird base, Olivier connected for a clutch RBI single that brought Alessandro home with the Baskin-Robbins Strawberry Dragonfruit Ice Cream.
With resolve, TP 13U Red reliever Brayden sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around a groundout to bring the Bombers uprising to an end in the fourth frame.
Refusing to quietly into the sunset, a never say die TP 13U Red squad donned their rally caps in the bottom of the fourth inning and scored nine runs to whittle the gap down to 20-17.
After a leadoff walk and a pair of stolen bases by Cliff, Jackson stroked a RBI single that brought Cliff home with a TP run.
Following a walk by Billy that put two runners on the dancefloor, Brayden stepped up to the dish and powered a two RBI triple that allowed Jackson and Billy to blaze home with two more runs for TP.
After back to back walks by Kale and Calvin which loaded the bases, Brady and Jack garnered respective bases loaded RBI walks that brought Brayden and Kale home with a pair of TP runs that trimmed the shortfall to seven.
With the bases still packed tighter than a can of Starkist Tuna, Calvin threw caution to the wind and bolted from third base and scored another TP run with a ballsy theft of home.
Following a walk by Rami that reloaded the bases, Tristan exercised patience at the plate to draw a bases loaded RBI walk that allowed Brady to shimmy home with a TP run.
After patiently waiting for his turn in the Mandarin Buffet line, Gabe hit into a run scoring 1-3 groundout that advanced Rami and Tristan to third and second and brought Jack home with another TP run.
Subsequently, Rami made a brash as nails theft of home to bring home a run that pulled TP within three of the Gold Bombers.
Clinging to a slender three run lead, Bloordale 13U Gold closer Alex (37) found his mojo and rang up a groundout and two strikeouts to extinguish the valiant TP comeback effort and seal the deal on the Bombers victory.
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