7 Run first inning leads to victory

Written by Dan Haugh/Photo by Matt Hiscox 

All the damage was done in the bottom of the first inning as the London Majors defeated the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers for the fifth time this season by a score of 7-0 at Labatt Park on Civic Holiday Monday.

The Majors struck quickly and often in their first at bat. Barnstormers ́ starter Cam O ́Reilly was able to retire lead-off hitter Gibson Krzeminski on a ground out, but that is where the trouble began. The next six London batters reached base against O ́Reilly. The rally started with Drew Lawrence reaching base on a ground ball single up the middle. The next batter Eduardo De Oleo hit a double down into the left-field corner on the eighth pitch of his at bat, scoring Lawrence all the way from first base. Designated Hitter Cleveland Brownlee then hit the first pitch of his at bat to the base of the centre field wall, and De Oleo scampered home from second to make the score 2-0 London. Byron Reichstein followed with a walk, and then Victor Plaz hit a bloop single down the right field line to load the bases for Kaiden Cardoso who came very close to a grand slam home run, as he took the first pitch he saw off the wall in centre field bringing home Brownlee and Reichstein.

At that point in the bottom of the first inning Chatham-Kent made a pitching change. Kenny Williams came in to relieve O ́Reilly and he immediately gave up a single to Champ Garner that brought in Plaz and Cardoso. Garner moved to second on the outfielder ́s throw to the plate to try to catch Cardoso. The Barnstormer ́s catcher then threw the ball into centre field and Garner came all the way home to score on a single with errors. The slang for that  ́event ́ is commonly referred to as a  ́Little League Home Run.

The London Majors sent 11 men to the plate in the inning and after one complete the score was 7-0.

Kenny Williams and Aden Ryan combined to keep London off the scoreboard from that point on, and the final score remained 7-0 London. The Majors ́ seven runs were scored on 11 hits. Cleveland Brownlee, Eduardo De Oleo, Kaiden Cardoso, and Champ Garner had two hits each. Gibson Krzeminski, Drew Lawrence and Victor Plaz each had one hit.

Victor Payano pitched five solid innings to pick up his fifth win of the season and his second win in two nights as he was credited with the win in last night ́s suspended game from July 16th. without actually pitching last night, because he had pitched the first five innings of that game back on July 16th to get credit for the win.

Tyler Gillies came on in relief of Payano in the sixth inning and kept the Barnstormers off the scoreboard for the final four innings to pick up the save.

The 21-13 London Majors are back in action on Friday August 9th when the second place Barrie Baycats visit Labatt Park for the usual 7:35 first pitch.