The Brantford Red Sox didn’t have much time to rest up for this year’s 2009 new Era IBL All-Star Game.

            The Red Sox and the London Majors hooked up in one of the longest games in the history of the IBL on Friday night, with the Majors edging the Red Sox 8-7 in 20 innings in a game that took 6 hours and 15 minutes to play, ending at 2:15 a.m.

            To their full credit the Red Sox were back on the field at Arnold Anderson Stadium at 10:30 a.m. Saturday hosting a Youth baseball Clinic and then hooked up in the 2009 New Era IBL All-Star game before a large and enthusiastic crowd.

            It was another tight game Saturday, with both teams scoring three runs in the seventh and final innings before settling for a 7-7 tie.

            The All-Stars jumped into an early 3-1 lead before the Red Sox rallied to go ahead 4-3. The All-Stars then tied the game setting the stage for an exciting seventh and final inning.

            A three-run seventh put the All-Stars back in front 7-4, but the Red Sox thrilled the hometown fans with three runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh inning to result in a final score of 7-7.

            It was agreed before the game that only seven innings would be played, so the 2009 New Era IBL All-Star Game went into the books with a tie score. Appropriately players from the Sox and Majors were selected MVPs of the game.

            Hyung Cho was the game MVP for the Red Sox, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and a runs cored, while Alan Cattrysse of the Majors earned the honours for the All-Stars going 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored. 

            For more information on the IBL, visit the official site of the league at www.theibl.ca.

STANDINGS

                        W      L     GB

Barrie                     16      3      -  

Toronto                15      8      3

Brantford              15      9      3 1/2

Guelph                 15      9      3 ½

London                 12     12      6 1/2

Oshawa                 11     12      7

Kitchener               8     14      9 1/2

Mississauga             7     17     11 1/2

Hamilton                5     20     14  

           There are six games in the IBL on Sunday. The Guelph Royals are in Toronto to play a doubleheader against the Toronto Maple Leafs starting at 1 p.m., the Oshawa Dodgers play a doubleheader in London against the Majors, also a 1 p.m. start, the Kitchener Panthers visit the Hamilton Thunderbirds at 2 p.m., and the Mississauga Twins are in Barrie to face the Baycats at 7 p.m.

ROGER LAJOIE

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