Beneath a genteel blanket of serene late summer skies, the Marlins prevailed 10-6 over the Reds n a 5½ inning 2023 Toronto Playgrounds Baseball Association (TPBA) House League Tournament 13U Peewee Division Championship Game tonight at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
The Reds threatened in the top of the first inning following a one out double and stolen base by Seamus (14).
Unfazed, Marlins starter Jack (29) chalked up three strikeouts with Cool Hand Luke resolve to terminate the Reds rebellion in the first frame.
In the bottom portion of the first inning, the Marlins staked themselves to an early 2-0 lead.
After a leadoff walk by Daniel (31), Seb (34) stroked a single that moved Daniel to second base. A Reds error on the play allowed Daniel to advance to third base. Following a steal of second base by Seb, Andrew (32) muscled a sacrifice groundout that moved Seb to third base and brought Daniel home with the opening run of the proceedings.
With one out, Eitan (25) delivered a RBI hit that allowed Seb to motor homeward with another Marlins run.
The Marlins continued to exert pressure on the Reds as Ellis (28) and Ben (21) drew back to back walks to load the bases.
Shaken, but not stirred, Reds starter Nathan (7) found his mojo and rang up two strikeouts to end the Marlins insurgency in the first frame.
The Reds threatened again in the top half of the second inning when Nathan and James (13) garnered respective walks that put two ducks on the pond.
With no desire to pussyfoot around the mulberry bush, Marlins reliever Andrew reeled off three succulent strikeouts that put the kibosh on the Reds mutiny in the second frame.
Displaying their Istiophoridae character, the Marlins scored four in the bottom of the second inning to extend their upper hand to 6-0.
Following a leadoff double by Henry (30), Gabe (24) drew a walk that put two aboard. With runners at third and second base, Tom’s (27) hustle down the line on a 2-3 dropped third strike play allowed Gabe to move to third base and brought Henry homeward with a Marlins run.
After Noah (35) garnered a one out walk that put two Marlins on the dance floor, May (3) delivered a sacrifice hit that advanced Noah to third base and brought Gabe home with a Marlins run.
With two outs, Liam (22) connected for a clutch RBI single that brought Noah home with another Marlins run.
Following a pair of brazen steals by Liam that moved him into scoring position at third base, Daniel stroked a RBI hit that allowed Liam to come homeward with a Marlins run.
In a gritty effort on the hill, Reds reliever Izidor (9) tallied a strikeout and a groundout against the Reds in the second frame.
Refusing to go quietly into the night, the Reds answered back with a run in the top half of the third inning that trimmed the deficit tp 6-1.
After Cash (12) drew a one out walk, Tesla (5) followed suit with a walk that put two Reds on base. With runners on third and first base, Bennett (11) delivered a sacrifice groundout that advanced Tesla to second base and brought Cash homeward with the Reds first run of the game.
Marlins reliever Henry chalked up a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to curtail the Reds revolt in the third frame.
Putting the pedal to the metal, the Marlins added a four spot to their aquarium tank in the bottom of the third inning to widen their plurality to 10-1.
Following a leadoff single, Seb advanced to third base courtesy of a Reds error and a stolen base. Throwing caution to the wind, Seb bolted homeward in a bold as brass gambit to steal home. In a chinny chin chin play at the dish, Seb beat the tag of Reds catcher Izidor by the cuticle of his pinky toe at home plate to score a dramatic run for the Marlins.
After a one out walk by Eitan, Ellis (28) stroked a single that moved Eitan to third base. Ben (21) followed with a RBI hit that advanced Ellis to third base and brought Eitan home with a Marlins run.
Following a steal of second by Ben, Jack hit a sacrifice groundout that advanced Ben to third bae and allowed Eitan to score a Marlins run.
After Elan (23) drew a two out walk, an errant Reds pickoff at third base resulted in am error that allowed Ren to motor home with another Marlins run.
In a stouthearted effort, Reds reliever Ryan (2) tallied a strikeout and a groundout against the Marlins in the third frame.
Like a bruised prizefighter, the Reds refused to throw in the towel as they punched back with two runs in the top of the fourth inning to trim the gap to 10-3.
After drawing a leadoff walk, Seamus made like Bennie and the Jets as he swiped his way around the horn to third base with a pair of brash steals. With one out, Seamus threw caution to the wind as he charged homeward and scored a dramatic Reds run with a ballsy Grand Theft of home.
Exercising patience at the plate, Ryan, Nathan and Izidor garnered consecutive walks to load the bases. With two outs, Gabriel (15) took one for the team when he reached base on a bases loaded hit by pitch that brought Ryan home with another Reds run.
In a spirited effort, Marlins reliever Eitan rang up three strikeouts to pacify the Reds jacquerie in the fourth frame.
The Marlins threatened in the bottom portion of the fourth inning following a single and a pair of stolen bases by Gabe that allowed him to get into scoring position at third base.
With unfettered resolve, Reds reliever Max F (6) chalked up a groundout and two strikeouts to keep the potent Marlins off the scoring ledger in the fourth frame.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Reds threatened after Max H (1) drew a walk and advanced to third base courtesy of a groundout and a stolen base.
However, Marlins closer Tom kept the Reds off the scoring abacus as he reeled off a groundout and two strikeouts to subdue the Reds putsch in the fifth frame.
Vying to add some insurance runs to their tally, the Marlins threated in the bottom half of the fifth inning following a single by Daniel and back to back walks by Seb and Andrew that loaded the bases.
Reelin’ and rockin’, Reds reliever Gabriel dug deep into his reserve tank as he kept the Marlins off the scoring ledger by ringing up three strikeouts to stymie their coup d’état in the fifth frame.
Donning their rally caps, the Reds went up to bat trailing 10-3 in the top of the sixth inning. Refusing to accept their fate, the pesky Red Machine continued to battle in a bid to change their fate.
Following Evelyn’s (4) leadoff walk and stolen base that positioned her in scoring position at second base, Campbell (10) delivered a RBI single to bring Evelyn home with a Reds run.
After Campbell advanced to third with a stolen base, Max F powered a one out RBI double that allowed Campbell to come home with a Reds run.
Following a theft of third by Max F, Ryan hit a sacrifice groundout that brought Max F home with another Reds run that cut the deficit to four.
Finding the groove, Marlins closer Tom sandwiched a groundout between two strikeouts to terminate the Reds comeback bid in the sixth frame and seal the deal on their championship victory.
