Majors Drop Game 2

Written by Dan Haugh/ Photo by Matt Hiscox 

Game Two of the first round of IBL playoffs between the London Majors and the Hamilton Cardinals was close through the first four innings, but at that point the home team put up crooked numbers in the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th innings to cruise to a decisive 16-2 victory to knot the series at one game a piece.

Despite the large numbers of runs scored in the game, neither team recorded a home run. Hamilton ́s 16 runs came from 15 hits and 12 walks.

Unlike Friday night ́s first game of the series when the Majors used only two pitchers who kept Cardinals batters in check throughout the nine inning game, five London pitchers allowed 16 runs on 15 hits on Saturday night. Twelve Hamilton batters drew walks.

London starter Travis Keys went five innings giving up six runs on five hits. Keys was followed on the mound by Skylar Janisse, Jonathan Henry, Jaryd Lund and Christian Coombes.

Winning pitcher Mizuki Akatsuka went seven innings and gave up one run on five hits while striking out eight London batters.

Kaiden Cardoso and Brad Verhoeven had two hits each for London. Eduardo De Oleo, Starling Joseph, Byron Reichstein, and Ty Mosher had one hit each.

Playoff Round One has now turned into a best-of-three series with game three Sunday afternoon at Labatt Park starting at 4:05 P.M. Game four is scheduled for Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium in Hamilton on Tuesday evening. If a decisive fifth game becomes

 necessary that will go on Wednesday at Labatt Park with a 7:35 first pitch.