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CARDINALS RALLY COMES UP JUST SHORT AGAINST LONDON

For the second straight game, the Hamilton Cardinals would rally in the ninth inning but would come up just short as they lost 7-6 to the London Majors at Bernie Arbour in IBL action on Friday night. Mike Hart and Jon Dziomba would combine for seven of the home side’s ten hits while Michael Ambrose, Kyle Gormandy and Tristan Buntrock each had a pair of hits for the Majors.

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Chris Beer was hit by a pitch and advanced to second when Dziomba reached base on an error. Hart then followed up with a single to score Beer for the early 1-0 lead.

However, London responded in the top of the second, sending eight batters to the plate scoring three times. Gormandy and Buntrock each had RBI singles while the other run crossed the plate thanks to a wild pitch.

The score remained like that until the top of the fourth when Ambrose, who singled to open the inning, scored on a sacrifice fly by Keith Kandel to extend the Majors lead to three runs on Hamilton.

The Cardinals would then chip away at the deficit scoring a run in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, tying the game at four. Beer crossed the plate in the fifth on a double steal while Connor Bowie touched the plate in the sixth after a sacrifice fly but Cal Murphy. The tying run would come in thanks to a Hart RBI single that scored Dziomba who had reached base on a two-out single.

The Majors looked to regain the lead in the eighth when they loaded up the bases with two outs but Hamilton get out of the jam and keep the game tied. London would get take the lead in the top of the ninth, scoring three times on five singles.

Hamilton looked to mount a comeback in their half of the inning. Nate Mastervick led off with a walk and then back to back singles by Beer and Dziomba loaded up the bases. Hart would then reach on an error which brought in two runs to make it a one run game with just one out. Connor Bowie, who represented the winning run would then get on with a walk. Unfortunately, the next two batters would fly out to end the Cardinals rally and the game.

For Hamilton, Jackson Jones started the game and went six and a third innings, allowing four runs on five hits, walking five and striking out three batters. Kyle Adoranti would relieve Jones in the seventh, facing three batters over two-thirds of an inning, allowing two walks and picking up a strikeout. Benson Merritt would take the loss, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk over an inning and a third. Jake Foden finished the game allowing a hit to one of the three batters he faced over two-thirds of an inning on the mound.

For the Majors, Cory Hammond went five innings, allowing two runs, one was unearned, on five hits, a walk and striking out one. Mike DeLong would work the sixth inning on the mound, allowing a run on one hit, allowing a walk and striking out one. Tyler Vavra then entered the game to pitch the seventh inning, allowing a run on two hits and striking out one batter. Curtis Johnson finished off the game and picked up the win, allowing two runs on two hits, three walks and a strikeout over two innings.

With the loss Hamilton drops to 3-12 on the season a game and a half back of the Brantford Red Sox who they will face on Sunday afternoon at Bernie Arbour starting at 2:00 PM. Prior to the game the Cardinals will honour the Special Olympics Hamilton softball team who is headed to the provincial summer games later in July.

Winning Pitcher: Curtis Johnson (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Benson Merritt (0-2)

London Hitters
Michael Ambrose – 2 for 3 (2 Singles, 2 Walks, 2 Runs, RBI)
Kyle Gormandy – 2 for 3 (2 Singles, Intentional Walk, Sacrifice Bunt, Run, RBI)
Tristan Buntrock – 2 for 4 (2 Singles, Run, RBI)

Hamilton Hitters
Jon Dziomba – 4 for 5 (4 Singles, Reached on Error, 2 Stolen Bases, Run)
Mike Hart – 3 for 5 (2 Singles, Double, Reached on Error, RBI)
Chris Beer – 1 for 4 (Single, Fielder’s Choice, Hit by Pitch, Strikeout, Stolen Base, 3 Runs)

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