Titans Drop Tight Opener to Begin Big Weekend Series

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

Ottawa, ON - In a much-anticipated matchup for the first time this season, the Ottawa Titans (32-21) fell in the series opener by a 7-4 final to the Québec Capitales (35-20) on Friday.

Dropping their second in a row, the Titans fell behind in the early going - seeing a solo shot from Marc-Antoine Lebreux out to right open the scoring.

After the homer, Shane Gray (ND, 3-3) locked in - giving the Titans six quality innings. From innings three through five, the right-hander faced just one more than the minimum.

Down one and having just four runners on against Ryan Sandberg (ND, 3-1) through four innings - the Titans caught life in the fifth.

With a leadoff Taylor Wright walk on base to start the inning, the Canadian ended up stealing second and third, to stand 90 feet away from potentially tying the score. As two outs were recorded, AJ Wright ripped a double to the corner in right, scoring the tying run. Next, Jackie Urbaez registered an RBI double - putting the Titans ahead 2-1.

Tossing with the lead - Shane Gray saw runners on the corners with two outs following a walk and a single in the sixth. The Capitales threatened to tie the game, but a run-saving diving stop by Christian Ibarra led to a force out to keep the home side ahead.

Gray gave the Titans his fifth quality start of the campaign - allowing one run on four hits, walking three, and striking out four - leaving in line for the win.

In the bottom half of the sixth, Brendan O'Donnell launched a Sandberg offering out to left-centre for his fifth homer of the season. The rookie's fifth homer in the last seven games pushed the lead to 3-1.

McLain Harris (loss, 2-2) saw the lead quickly evaporate in his inning-plus of work - as Canadian Anthony Quirion tied the game with a two-run homer in the seventh.

In the eighth, the Capitales struck for four runs on four hits. Two of the runs ended up being charged to Harris, while Jonah Jenkins entered later in the frame, seeing two more plate.

Down 7-3 - the Titans attempted a comeback in the bottom half. Taking advantage of an error and two hits with one away against Nick Trabacchi - the Titans had an opportunity to tie the game with one swing. The threat did not end the way the Titans had hoped, as Taylor Wright and Lamar Briggs, who pinch hit, each went down swinging to end the threat.

In the ninth against Frank Moscatiello, Jake Guenther scored an AJ Wright walk with a two-out double to right, seeing the Titans pull within three. After a walk to Christian Ibarra, two stood aboard - seeing the potential tying run step to the plate. The all-star righty retired Jamey Smart in a lengthy nine-pitch plate appearance, seeing a fly ball to left end the game.

The Ottawa Titans continue their final homestand of the first half, playing game two of a three-game set against 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 nine-game mini packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.