Titans Split Doubleheader with Bird Dawgs

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE - GAME 1

OFFICIAL FRONTIER LEAGUE BOX SCORE - GAME 2

Ottawa, ON - Opening a crucial four-game set in their return home after the all-star break, the Ottawa Titans (30-31) split a twin-bill with the Down East Bird Dawgs (27-33) on Tuesday - with the Bird Dawgs escaping with a 9-6 win in game one, followed by a Titans' narrow 2-1 victory in the nightcap.

Game One - Down East 9, Ottawa 6

Riding a five-run top of the second, the Bird Dawgs avoided a late Titans rally for their first win ever in the season series.

Following an eight-pitch top of the first, left-hander Shane Telfer (loss, 4-5) walked the bases loaded in the second to set up the big inning. The first two of the frame reached on free passes before the Titans' southpaw fanned a pair to get an out away from leaving two on. Ahead in the count on Cameron Masterman, Telfer issued a walk to fill the bags. Tyler Blaum connected for a two-run single to open the scoring before a fielder's choice scored another. Before all was said and done, Yassel Pino clubbed a two-run double to make it 5-0.

Telfer exited after the 40-plus pitch second, allowing five runs (two earned) on just two hits, walking three, and striking out four, tossing on just three days' rest.

In his first outing in over a month, left-hander Tino Novis allowed a pair in the top of the third, as the Bird Dawgs' lead grew to as much as 7-0.

The Titans got on the board on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third, as Jackie Urabez's leadoff hit by pitch plated on an airmailed toss by right-hander Danny Beal (win, 3-3).

Kishon Frett got another on the board for the Titans with his first pro homer in the fourth, tagging a solo shot off the base of the batter's eye in straight-away centre to make it 7-2.

With single tallies in the fifth and sixth, the Bird Dawgs added much-needed insurance to pull ahead 9-2.

After five innings of two-run ball from Beal, right-hander Nate Roof allowed four over an inning and two-thirds to let the Titans back in the game late.

Taylor Wright drove in one in the sixth with a single - before the Titans started to rally in the bottom of the seventh.

With the bases loaded and nobody out, a pinch-hit plate appearance from Dylan Driver rolled into a double play, scoring one. Down to their final out, a single from Kaiden Cardoso and a double from Kishon Frett added two more. Following an error and hit by pitch, the Titans put the tying run aboard.

Right-hander Luke Trueman (save, 1) was brought in to face AJ Wright - who rocketed a deep fly ball to left on a full count delivery with the runners in motion, that was caught on the run on the edge of the track by Cameron Masterman to end the game.

The Titans came within a few feet of tying the score and dropped back-to-back games for the first time in over a month.

Kishon Frett dominated in his home debut by going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a homer, two RBI, and a walk. Justin Fogel also went 3-for-3 with a walk in the opener.

Game Two - Ottawa 2, Down East 1

Evan Grills (win, 2-3) backed the Titans in game two with six and a third quality innings for his first home win at Ottawa Stadium in nearly three years to earn the split in the doubleheader.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, catcher Elias Stevens committed a passed ball on a pitch from right-hander Eric Waldichuk (loss, 0-1), scoring a leadoff single from Jackie Urbaez.

In the second, Aaron Casillas dumped an RBI single to left to double the lead.

For Grills, the southpaw cruised through six, facing the minimum. The only traffic the Bird Dawgs had against the lefty through six was a second-inning single and third-inning walk. Both runners were erased on pick-offs - as Grills kept the Titans up by a pair.

In the seventh, the Bird Dawgs got to the veteran arm by plating a run on two hits - with Trotter Harlan ripping an RBI single up the middle.

With two on, Grills gave way to right-hander Shane Gray (save, 4), who got Ali LaPread to ground into a game-ending double play to secure the victory.

Grills went six and a third allowing one run on four hits, walking one, and striking out three in his sixth start of the campaign.

AJ Wright went 1-for-1 with a triple and two walks while Jackie Urbaez and Aaron Casillas each reached twice in the victory.

The Ottawa Titans continue their first home series of the second half with the third of a four-game series against the Down East Bird Dawgs on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. at Ottawa Stadium. The Titans will then welcome the Evansville Otters to Ottawa for the first time since the 2022 season with a three-game series over the weekend. All the action can be heard on CKDJ 107.9 and 94,5 Unique FM and live-streamed on Frontier League TV, powered by HomeTeam Network.

For information on Ottawa Titans’ 2025 Single-Game Tickets, Group Outings, and Nine-Game Mini Packs, visit the Titans’ official website at www.ottawatitans.com.