Titans End Road Trip Victorious

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE

Sauget, IL - The Ottawa Titans (3-6) used a quick start to defeat the Gateway Grizzlies (6-3) by a 6-4 final on Sunday, snapping their five-game losing streak.

The Titans got to starter Joey Gonzalez (loss, 1-1) early in the series finale, scoring four runs on four hits in the top of the first inning. With runners on the corners and two down, Gabe Snyder lined a single to left, scoring Jackie Urbaez. Next, Taylor Wright blasted a three-run homer to make it 4-0. 

Threatening again in the second, Jamey Smart drew a walk with the bases loaded, scoring Mitsuki Fukuda to make it 5-0. The Titans then added a sixth run, courtesy of a Jason Dicochea sacrifice fly.

Gonzalez would get the hook after two innings, allowing six runs (five earned), on six hits, walking three, and striking out one. Colton Easterwood, Zac Ryan, Trevor Tietz, and Nate Garkow would finish the day on the mound for the Grizzlies, keeping the Titans at bay.

Following two shutout innings, the Grizzlies got to Alec Thomas (ND, 0-0) in the bottom of the third, as Abdiel Diaz and Gabe Holt plated runs with RBI groundouts. Clint Freeman would make it a three-run game with a solo homer to begin the bottom of the fourth. Freeman re-took the home run lead with his fifth long ball of the year.

The day would belong to Matt Valin (win, 1-0), who put together two and two-thirds of scoreless ball, striking out five for the win. 

After a solo blast from DJ Stewart off Gleyvin Pineda made it 6-4, Chris Burica finished the eighth to keep it a two-run game.

Nelson Gonzalez (save, 1) would make things interesting, allowing a pair to reach with two out. With Stewart back at the dish representing the potential winning run, Gonzalez was able to finish the job and get Stewart to fly out to centre.

In the win, Mitsuki Fukuda went 3-for-3 with a walk, for his first three-hit game of his professional career. Also, Jamey Smart extended his on-base streak to nine games, drawing a walk in five plate appearances. 

After an off day tomorrow, the Ottawa Titans return home to open a three-game series on Tuesday morning against the Sussex County Miners at 11:00 am at Ottawa Stadium. All the action can be heard on CKDJ 107.9 and 94,5 UNIK FM and live-streamed on Flo Baseball. For information on season tickets, group outings, and nine-game mini packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.