Titans Chip Away Late, Drop Thrilling Opener

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

Ottawa, ON - Opening the final series of the regular season, the Ottawa Titans (51-42) made things interesting late - but dropped their fourth-straight by an 8-5 final to the Québec Capitales (64-30) on Friday.

Trying to scratch across their first run in almost three games, the offence jumped all over Ryan Sandberg (win, 7-2) in the bottom of the first - seeing Peyton Isaacson line an RBI single to centre. The run-scoring knock snapped a 27-and-a-third scoreless drought.

After sitting down six of the first seven, Shane Gray (loss, 6-6) fell into trouble in the third - as Marc-Antoine Lebreux tied the game with an RBI double before a Jonathan Lacroix single made it 2-1.

In the fourth, Justin Gideon blasted his 20^th home of the year off the right-field foul pole to extend the lead - apart of a four-run frame.

Gray exited with an apparent injury after three and a third, allowing five runs, on eight hits, and striking out three. The five allowed was the most given up by the 24-year-old in his last five starts.

Down 6-1 - the Titans' offence fell into a cold spell, as Sandberg sat down 11 of the final 12 he faced - leaving in line for the win with five frames of one-run ball.

In the sixth, the Titans swung momentum in their favour - as Brendan O'Donnell smashed a three-run homer to left off Yusniel Padron to get within two. The tenth of the year for the rookie was also his third long ball off of Capitales pitching in 2024.

A pair of walks and a hit loaded the bags in the seventh - as Franklin Parra inherited the bases loaded - seeing the lefty walk pinch hitter Lamar Briggs to score a run, making it a 6-5 game. Next, Parra escaped the jam by getting AJ Wright to ground into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

McLain Harris gave the Titans two scoreless frames - until loading the bases in the ninth - seeing Erasmo Piñales allow a two-out, two-run double off the bat of Ruben Castro. The first extra-base hit of the year by the two-time reigning playoff MVP made it 8-5.

Falling in their fourth straight for the fourth time this season, the Titans left six on in the opener, as the late comeback fell short.

The magic number for the Titans to qualify for the 2024 Frontier League Playoffs remains at two - with two games to go. With a win and a Boulders loss, the Titans are in.

The Ottawa Titans continue the final homestand of the regular season, playing game two of a three-game set with the Québec Capitales on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. from Ottawa Stadium. 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 the "All-In" Playoff Package, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.