Quality Start, Key Hits Help Titans to Series Sweep

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

Ottawa, ON - For the third time in their last four series, the Ottawa Titans (23-17) busted out the brooms, beating the New England Knockouts (12-29) by a narrow 4-3 margin on Thursday night.

Fresh off the improbable come-from-behind win less than 24 hours earlier, the Titans picked up where they left off against Ben Seiler (loss, 1-3) in the first - loading the bases. The rookie lefty-hander managed to escape the jam by getting a hard lineout from Brendan O'Donnell and a massive strikeout of Jamey Smart to keep the game scoreless.

Back in the rotation to make his first start in nearly a month, Bryan Peña (win, 2-3) hurled two scoreless innings to begin the night, which included a trio of punchouts.

The Titans got on the board first in the bottom of the second - seeing a pair of hits to open the frame stand on the corners - as Victor Cerny bounced into a double play. The Knockouts elected to sacrifice a run for the pair of outs, seeing Jason Dicochea come across to score.

With two on in the third, the Knockouts got to Peña to tie the game at one - seeing a sac fly from John Cristino plate Austin White.

Leading off the fourth, Jason Dicochea blasted a solo homer to left off for his fourth of the year, taking Seiler deep to put the Titans ahead for good.

Loading the bases yet again in the fifth, Jamey Smart redeemed himself and pushed the advantage to two with a sac fly to centre, scoring AJ Wright to put the Titans up 3-1.

In his final inning of work in the sixth, Peña allowed a solo homer to left off the bat of Jalen Garcia to see the Titans' lead trimmed down to 3-2.

Peña gave the Titans six quality frames - allowing just two runs on four hits, walking three, hitting one, and striking out five in the win.

After four and two-thirds of three-run ball from Seiler and a third of shutout relief from Brendan Bell, the Knockouts brought in right-hander Mike McKenna for the second time in the series. 

To start the sixth, Lamar Briggs hammered the eventual winning run over the left field wall for his first homer with his new club to put the Titans ahead 4-2.

With a combined two shutout innings from McLain Harris and Matt Dallas - Erasmo Piñales (save, 11) allowed a Brady West double to come around to score on a Noah Lucier base hit to right, seeing the Knockouts pull within a run. The run charged against Piñales was the first earned run against the veteran righty all year.

Jake Guenther shined in the series, going 2-for-3 in the finale, and finished the mid-week series 6-for-8 with a double, and four walks. Jackie Urbaez extended his on-base streak to nine by going 1-for-4 - while Jason Dicochea and Lamar Briggs each notched two hits.

The Titans have now won 13 of their last 16 and have taken eight in a row from the expansion Knockouts - sweeping them for the second time.

The Ottawa Titans continue their six-game homestand with the first of three against the New Jersey Jackals on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. from Ottawa Stadium - for their Pre-Canada Day Celebration. All the action can be heard on CKDJ 107.9 and 94,5 Unique FM and live-streamed on Flo Baseball.

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