Titans drop both in twin-bill to Boulders

Pomona, NY – Spending Canada Day south of the border, the Ottawa Titans (27-14) dropped two tight ones, a 9-8 loss in sudden-death, and an 8-6 defeat to the New York Boulders on Friday.

Game 1 – New York 9, Ottawa 8 (SD)

Austin Dennis belted a three-run homer off Titans starter Tyler Jandron (ND, 4-2) in the bottom half of the first, giving the Boulders an early 3-0 lead.

Rodrigo Orozco and Matt Feinstein blasted solo shots in the second and third. The duo took Boulders righty Robby Rowland (ND, 2-3) deep, cutting the deficit to one.

The Boulders restored the three-run lead with RBI hits from Gabriel Garcia and Max Smith, making it 5-2.

After Tyrus Greene played a pair in the top of the fifth, cutting the deficit to one, the Boulders tacked on three in the bottom half to take an 8-4 lead.

Jandron finished the outing with a no-decision, going five innings, allowing eight runs on eleven hits, and punching out four.

The Titans rallied with four runs to tie the game in the top of the sixth against righty Luis DePaula. Jackie Urbaez blasted a three-run homer before Jake Sanford tied the game with a single.

Headed to extras, both sides failed to score with the ghost runner starting at second. Gavin Sonnier tossed three shutout innings out of the bullpen, setting up Sudden-Death.

Electing to defend, the Boulders rolled a double-play ball off the bat of AJ Wright to get the first two outs. Zach Schneider (win, 1-0) got Rodrigo Orozco to fly out on the track in right to clinch the victory.

Game 2 – New York 8, Ottawa 6

Jake Sanford got the scoring started with an RBI triple in the top of the first against righty Austin Kaplan (ND, 0-1), giving the visitors the early lead.

Giovanni Garbella tied the game with an RBI groundout in the bottom half, scoring David Vinsky.

The Titans’ offence strung together a four-run inning in the top of the second, as Urbaez, Orozco, and Sanford had RBI knocks.

Jack Alkire (ND, 0-3) got the nod in the nightcap for his first start since June 3. The Boulders chipped away with two more against Alkire in the third, making it a 5-3 game.

AJ Wright put the Titans ahead with a solo blast in the top of the fifth, taking right-hander Ryder Yakel (win, 3-0) deep to left.

Ahead by three headed to the bottom of the fifth, Alkire served up an RBI double off the bat of Giovanni Garbella, which scored Austin Dennis.

It brought the end of the line for Alkire, who was relieved by Nelson Gonzalez (loss, 0-2), who two-batters later allowed a sac fly off the bat of Gabriel Garcia, making it a one-run game.

Ahead by one in the sixth, Gonzalez surrendered a game-tying solo homer to Jake MacKenzie to lead off the frame. Following an E5 and a Dennis double, Garbella belted a double off the wall in left to plate the eventual winning run.

Up 8-6 headed to the final inning, the Titans loaded to bases against Yakel. The Boulders went to the bullpen for Zach Schneider (save, 2), who got Jason Dicochea to fly out to finish the ballgame.

The Ottawa Titans are back in action tomorrow for game three of their four-game series with the New York Boulders at 6:30 p.m. from Clover Stadium. Following the series with the Boulders, the Titans finish off the trip with a visit to the Tri-City ValleyCats on Monday. The Titans return home for a seven-game home stand on July 5 against New Jersey at 6:30 p.m.

For information on Ottawa Titans’ 2022 season tickets, group outings, and 8-game mini packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.

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