Guelph Royals start season with win over Hamilton
HAMILTON – The Guelph Royals scored four runs in the seventh inning to open their Intercounty Baseball League season with a 6-4 victory over the Hamilton Cardinals Sunday afternoon at Bernie Arbour Stadium.
The Royals were to open their season at Hastings Stadium Saturday, but storm damage at the park forced that game against the Toronto Maple Leafs to be postponed.
Guelph Royals 6 Hamilton Cardinals 4
Guelph’s four-run outburst in the seventh inning gave the Royals a six-run lead at the time as they had scored single runs in the first and second innings. Hamilton rallied with three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to complete the scoring.
Sean Reilly drove in the first-inning run with a double that scored J.D. Williams who had reached base on a fielder’s choice.
In the second inning, Jeff MacLeod belted a solo homer with one out.
In the seventh, Malik Collymore hit a single to score Brando Leroux and Reilly followed with a three-run homer.
Emilis Guerrero relieved Guelph starter Claudio Custodio for the eighth inning and struggled. He walked the first two batters he faced before Aidan Muir singled to score a run and send Robin Fox-Pappas to third. Guerrero then unleashed a pair of wild pitches to score the other two runs. Guerrero was replaced by Nelson Mercado with two out in the inning after Guerrero had faced seven batters and thrown 36 pitches.
In the ninth, Fox-Pappas hit a one-out double to score Laine Renaud with the game’s final run.
The Royals connected for nine hits in the game and committed one error. Dalton Pompey had three hits, all singles, in the leadoff position while Reilly had his homer and double. Darius Barlas hit two singles while MacLeod had his homer and Collymore and Leroux each had a single.
Custodio picked up the win. He threw 100 pitches as he tossed seven innings of one-hit ball – a third-inning single by Fox-Pappas. Custodio had 11 strikeouts and didn’t walk a batter. Guerrero gave up three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. He yielded a hit, walked four and didn’t strike out anyone. Mercado pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, yielding an earned run off two hits. He struck out two and didn’t walk anyone.
Hamilton had four hits – a double and single by Fox-Pappas and singles by Renaud and Muir.
Starter Chris Lazar took the loss for Hamilton. He surrendered two earned runs off five hits and two walks in five innings. He had three strikeouts. Jacob Gajic yielded four earned runs off three hits and a walk in two innings and he had five strikeouts. Julian Russell and Wes Markle each pitched a scoreless inning. Russell gave up a hit and had a strikeout while Markle walked a batter and had two strikeouts.
Williams attempted a stolen base for the Royals, but was caught.
For Hamilton, Luis Jean, Justin Gideon and Renaud each had a stolen base while Muir was caught stealing.
The Royals are to face the London Majors (1-1) Monday at 1:05 p.m. at London’s Labatt Park.
Their home opener at Hastings Stadium is now set for Saturday at 1 p.m. against the Brantford Red Sox (0-2).
- Guelph Sports Journal
Guelph Royals start season with win over Hamilton
HAMILTON – The Guelph Royals scored four runs in the seventh inning to open their Intercounty Baseball League season with a 6-4 victory over the Hamilton Cardinals Sunday afternoon at Bernie Arbour Stadium.
The Royals were to open their season at Hastings Stadium Saturday, but storm damage at the park forced that game against the Toronto Maple Leafs to be postponed.
Guelph Royals 6
Hamilton Cardinals 4
Guelph’s four-run outburst in the seventh inning gave the Royals a six-run lead at the time as they had scored single runs in the first and second innings. Hamilton rallied with three runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to complete the scoring.
Sean Reilly drove in the first-inning run with a double that scored J.D. Williams who had reached base on a fielder’s choice.
In the second inning, Jeff MacLeod belted a solo homer with one out.
In the seventh, Malik Collymore hit a single to score Brando Leroux and Reilly followed with a three-run homer.
Emilis Guerrero relieved Guelph starter Claudio Custodio for the eighth inning and struggled. He walked the first two batters he faced before Aidan Muir singled to score a run and send Robin Fox-Pappas to third. Guerrero then unleashed a pair of wild pitches to score the other two runs. Guerrero was replaced by Nelson Mercado with two out in the inning after Guerrero had faced seven batters and thrown 36 pitches.
In the ninth, Fox-Pappas hit a one-out double to score Laine Renaud with the game’s final run.
The Royals connected for nine hits in the game and committed one error. Dalton Pompey had three hits, all singles, in the leadoff position while Reilly had his homer and double. Darius Barlas hit two singles while MacLeod had his homer and Collymore and Leroux each had a single.
Custodio picked up the win. He threw 100 pitches as he tossed seven innings of one-hit ball – a third-inning single by Fox-Pappas. Custodio had 11 strikeouts and didn’t walk a batter. Guerrero gave up three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning. He yielded a hit, walked four and didn’t strike out anyone. Mercado pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, yielding an earned run off two hits. He struck out two and didn’t walk anyone.
Hamilton had four hits – a double and single by Fox-Pappas and singles by Renaud and Muir.
Starter Chris Lazar took the loss for Hamilton. He surrendered two earned runs off five hits and two walks in five innings. He had three strikeouts. Jacob Gajic yielded four earned runs off three hits and a walk in two innings and he had five strikeouts. Julian Russell and Wes Markle each pitched a scoreless inning. Russell gave up a hit and had a strikeout while Markle walked a batter and had two strikeouts.
Williams attempted a stolen base for the Royals, but was caught.
For Hamilton, Luis Jean, Justin Gideon and Renaud each had a stolen base while Muir was caught stealing.
The Royals are to face the London Majors (1-1) Monday at 1:05 p.m. at London’s Labatt Park.
Their home opener at Hastings Stadium is now set for Saturday at 1 p.m. against the Brantford Red Sox (0-2).
- Guelph Sports Journal