FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS PREVAIL OVER THE RIVERDOGS IN AN ETOBICOKE BASEBALL ASSOCIATION (EBA) 11U MOSQUITO SELECT LOOP AFFAIR AT CHRISTIE PITS
Beneath a warm blanket of hot and hazy midsummer skies, the Toronto Playgrounds 11U Red defeated the York 11U Gold 16-2 in a four inning Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) this afternoon at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
In the top half of the first inning, York 11U Gold flashed their incisors as they jumped out to an early 1-0 lead.
Following a two out single by Re (1), Julian (23) and Cortez (22) garnered back to back walks to load the bases.
After TP 11U Red uncorked a wild pitch during the next at bat, Jordan and Cortez moved up respectively to third and second, and Re seized the opportunity to blaze homeward and score a dramatic run for the Riverdogs with a Say Hey slide at home.
Unfazed, TP 11U Red starter Carson (27) chalked up three strikeouts to end the York 11U Gold insurgency in the first frame.
TP 11U Red answered back in lickety-split fashion as they scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-1 advantage.
After a leadoff single, Arlo (13) rattled the York 11U Gold defense with a derring-do theft of second base.
Paul (77) followed with a RBI single that allowed Arlo to hustle home with TP 11U Red’s game tying run.
Following a dusty theft of second by Paul, Emmett (4) delivered a RBI single that brought Paul home with TP’s go ahead run.
After a single by Carson, Rudy drew a walk that loaded the bases for TP 11U Red.
With one out, Benji (15) connected for a two RBI single that advanced Rudy to third, and allowed Emmett and Carson to zoom home with two additional TP runs.
In stouthearted effort, York 11U Gold starter Re tallied a strikeout in the first frame while facing seven TP 11U Red batters.
York 11U Gold threatened in the top of the second inning after Daniel (50) and Noah (5) garnered a pair of walks that put two Riverdogs on the dancefloor.
Wheeling and dealing, TP 11U Red starter Carson rang up a groundout and two strikeouts in the second frame to keep York Gold off the scoring ledger and the Riverdogs offense in the dawg pound.
With the summer wind in its sails, TP 11U Red added four doubloons to its treasure trove in the bottom portion of the second inning to widen its upper hand to 8-1.
After drawing a one out walk, Maxwell (3) turned on the afterburners and swiped his way around the horn to third base with aplomb.
Milo (24) followed with a searing RBI single that brought Maxwell home with a TP run.
Following a deft theft of second by Milo, Eli O (44) garnered a walk that put two ducks on the pond.
Arlo stepped into the batter’s box and powered a RBI double that advanced Eli O to third, and allowed Milo to hustle home with a TP 11U Red run.
After Paul reached base on a hit by pitch that loaded the bases, Emmett muscled a two RBI single that moved Paul to third, and brought Eli O and Arlo home with two more TP runs.
With pluck, York 11U Gold starter Re chalked up a strikeout in the second frame while facing six TP 11U Red batters.
Taking umbrage at their situation, York 11U Gold replied with a run in the top of the third inning that trimmed the deficit to 8-2.
After stroking a leadoff single, Lucas (32) made like Bennie and the Jets as he stole his way around the horn to third base.
With one out, Re hit into a 4-3 groundout that allowed Lucas to dart home with a Riverdogs run.
Nonplussed, TP 11U Red reliever Rudy sandwiched two strikeouts between a groundout to pacify the York 11U Gold uprising in the third frame.
Going for the jugular, TP 11U Red scored four in the bottom of the third to stretch their plurality to 12-2.
After reaching base on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning, Carson threw down the gauntlet and proceeded to steal a pair of bases to advance over to third base.
Following a walk by Rudy that put two swans on the lake, Whit stroked a RBI single that moved Rudy to second, and allowed Carson to score a TP run.
After Benji singled to load the bases, Eli D (8) drew a bases loaded RBI walk that brought Rudy home with a TP 11U Red run.
Subsequently, with two outs and the bases still packed tighter than a can of StarKist tuna, Eli O delivered a two RBI single that moved Eli D to third and allowed Whit and Benji to motor home with two more TP runs.
In an unflinching effort on the hill, York 11U Gold reliever Rory (10) rang up two strikeouts in the third frame while facing eight TP 11U Red batters.
With no desire to go quietly into the afternoon sun, York 11U Gold continued to battle in the top of the fourth inning.
Exercising patience at the dish, Cassandra (28), Isaiah (2) and Daniel garnered consecutive walks to load the bases.
Shaken, but not stirred, TP 11U Red reliever Rudy found his mojo and proceeded to ring up a groundout and two strikeouts that put the kibosh on the Riverdogs coup d’état in the fourth frame.
TP 11U Red added four insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth to cement their lead at 16-2.
With the pitch in his wheelhouse, Arlo led off TP 11U Red’s bottom portion of the inning with a majestic inside the park solo home run bomb to the deep dish pizza nether regions of centre field.
After hustling around the horn with a full head of steam and coming home to roost, Arlo was mobbed by his jubilant teammates and cheered on by the TP faithful in the bleacher seats.
Following a one out single by Emmett, Carson powered a double that put two TP Red runners on the discotheque floor.
Rudy followed with a 4-3 groundout that moved Carson over to third and brought Emmett home with a TP 11U Red run.
With two outs, Whit stroked a RBI single that allowed Carson to score another TP run.
After Benji singled to put TP runners at second and first, TP 11U Red initiated a double steal attempt where Whit and Benji moved respectively over to third and second. A Riverdogs error on the play allowed Whit to come home with a TP run that brought the curtain down on the proceedings.
In a gritty effort, York 11U Gold reliever Julian tallied two groundouts in the fourth frame while facing seven TP 11U Red batters.