Majors' Win on Christmas in the Park

Written by Dan Haugh / Photo by Matt Hiscox

The London Majors prevailed in a back-and-forth contest Friday night at Labatt Memorial Park, defeating the Barrie Baycats 8-4. 

As has become commonplace, the Majors scored in the first inning. They took a 1-0 lead when, with one out, Tucker Zdunich was hit by a pitch, stole second base and came home on Starling Joseph's single to centre field. 

The Baycats put together a three-run rally in the top of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. London scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning to knot the score at 3-3. Those two runs were put on the scoreboard with a one-out walk to Tucker Zdunich, who then came home on a triple into the corner in right field by David Draayers.  Draayers came home with the tying run when Barrie starting pitcher Frank Garces committed a balk. 

Cristian Inoa put London back in front in the bottom of the fifth inning with his eighth home run of the 2026 CBL season, well over the fence in left-centre field. Barrie added a single run in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 4-4, but it didn't stay that way long as the Majors scored twice in both the sixth and seventh innings, making the score 8-4.  London's bullpen shut down Barrie's offence from that point on. 

The two sixth-inning runs came on a sacrifice fly by Maikol Escotto that brought in Jarret Burney, who had got on base with a walk, and an RBI single by Tucker Zdunich that scored Jaden Babiuk. The seventh inning runs were produced when Starling Joseph led off the bottom of the inning with a walk, and he then rode home on a Trent Lenihan home run to centre field. London's hit total was nine from seven different players. Trent Lenihan had a single and a home run. David Draayers had two hits, including his RBI triple. Cristian Inoa homered, and Tucker Zdunich, Maikol Escotto, Starling Joseph, and Jaden Babiuk had one hit each. 

London starting pitcher Victor Payano picked up his sixth win of the season with a strong six-inning performance.  Payano allowed four runs on only four hits with seven strikeouts. The London bullpen was strong again as Kade Douglas, Dustin Davidson and Skylar Janisse shut down the Baycats over the final three innings.  

The Majors are half a game back of the Welland Jackfish and will travel to Brantford Saturday afternoon to take on the Red Sox before hosting the Hamilton Cardinals at Labatt Park on Sunday afternoon at 4 P.M.