Multiple Leads Not Enough, Titans Fall in Opener

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

Québec City, QC - Holding three separate leads, the Ottawa Titans (21-18) could not close it out, falling 7-6 to the Québec Capitales (29-9) on Tuesday night.

Getting off to a quick start against rookie lefty Riley Gwin (ND, 0-0), Jake Steels ripped a double down the right field line to open the contest, then stole third. Steels now has four doubles over his last three games. With one out, Taylor Wright opened the scoring with an RBI groundout, putting the Titans ahead 1-0.

Making his fourth start of the season, Ky Hampton (ND, 1-1) stranded a one-out Kyle Crowl double aboard in the first, but saw the Capitales tie the game in the second inning on a Yuta Hamada RBI double to right-centre.

The Titans posted back-to-back multi-run frames against Gwin in the third and fourth to extend the lead to as much as 5-1. Thomas Ferroggiaro plated a Michael Fuhrman double with an extra-base hit of his own before a Steels RBI groundout in the third. Jackson Lyon blasted his third homer of the year in the fourth, with the two-run shot putting the visitors up by as much as four.

The Capitales used the long ball in the fourth and fifth to level the score against Hampton. Torin Montgomery's solo homer and a two-run blast from Jordan Smith in the bottom of the fourth made it a one-run game. Antonio Valdez tied up the series opener with a no-doubt solo blast in the fifth to even the game at five.

Hampton gave the Titans five innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, striking out four.

In the seventh, Ferroggiaro and Steels started the frame against Nelvin Correa (win, 2-2) with singles prior to being sacrificed into scoring position on a bunt from Jackie Urbaez. Taylor Wright knocked in his second of the game to give the Titans back the lead at 6-5 with a sacrifice fly to centre.

Heitor Tokar (loss, 2-2) got out of a jam in the sixth, before a Montgomery double stood aboard in the bottom of the seventh with two outs. In a 3-2 count, Arturo De Freitas gave the Capitales the lead for good at 7-6 with a two-run shot over the left field wall.

The Titans started a two-out rally against Conner Floyd (save, 5) in the ninth, but Taylor Wright flew out to centre to end the game, seeing the guests strand the potential tying run in scoring position.

Jake Steels posted his third consecutive multi-hit game, going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Thomas Ferroggiaro posted two hits, including a double and an RBI. Jackie Urbaez singled and walked. AJ Wright picked up a base hit, extending his on-base streak to 23 games in a row.

The Ottawa Titans return for game two of a three-game series with the Québec Capitales on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at Stade Canac in Québec City, Québec. The Titans come back home to start a six-game homestand over the weekend with New Jersey, before Tri-City comes to town as part of the Canada Day celebrations. All the action can be heard on the Ottawa Titans Radio Network and 94.5 Unique FM, and live-streamed on Frontier League TV powered by HomeTeam Network.

For information on Ottawa Titans’ 2026 Season Tickets, 10-Game Mini Packs, and Group Outings, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.