LINESCORE
CANADIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE
Kitchener 000 010 000— 1 5 2
Barrie 101 020 40x— 8 10 0
Elliott (L,3-4), Hewitt (6) and Ibarra;
Vasquez (W,4-3), Večerka (8), Sano (9) and Puyol-Genossar.
HRs: Kit — Ibarra (1); Bar — None.
OTHER SCORES
London 8 Brantford 3
Guelph 8 Chatham-Kent 4
Welland 12 Hamilton 6
Saul Vasquez pitched seven strong innings and Brendon Daley collected three hits as the Barrie Baycats (19-10) put together one of their most complete performances of the season in a 8-1 win over the Kitchener Panthers (10-19) on Saturday at Athletic Kulture Stadium.
Both Baycats contributors stood out in a team performance that Matlow believes could represent a turning point in the season ahead of what's shaping up to be a tight pennant race.
"This couldn't have been more of a perfect game for us to end the weekend and get back on track," he said postgame. "I'm proud of the boys for executing, and it just shows that if we pay attention and we try and we execute like we did, I think that we're going to be a very dangerous team moving forward."
It was just the ninth game for the team without an error after defensive woes proved costly early on in the season. The one run allowed also matches a season low.
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Daley led off the third inning with his first CBL triple, and eventually scored what stood as the game-winning run.
After making just his first start on Thursday against Brantford, the first-year Baycat says he's starting to find his fit on the team.
"It's good that I'm able to get out and compete," he said. "I feel like I belong more on the team putting in my part of the production."
"He's definitely earned it, he's got a great attitude," Matlow added. "He's a guy that everyone pulls for. He makes a nice couple plays out in the field and everyone's roaring and he kept the energy up for us."
Barrie never trailed, scoring once in the first and third before adding insurance in the fifth and sixth innings. Wandy Ciprian drove in three runs, while Kristyan Puyol-Genossar added two against Panthers starter Evan Elliott.
Elliott failed to record an out in the sixth as Barrie scored four more runs to break it open. In five innings, he allowed eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits and two walks while striking out five.
For Barrie, Vasquez (4-1) had his longest start of the season, striking out eight and walking one over seven innings while allowing just four hits. With the performance, he retook the sole lead among all CBL pitchers in strikeouts with 70.
The lefty, however, praised his teammates and their defensive effort as a key contribution to the win.
"The key is (to) attack the zone all the time," he said postgame. "When my teammates help all the time (it's) really good... Every day (a) win is necessary."
Kitchener's only run came on a fifth-inning home run by Yunior Ibarra, his first of the season.
Less than 24 hours before the final out was recorded, Barrie was tied atop the league and the team now sits in third place, one game back. Considering Kitchener is 6.5 games back of a playoff spot, Matlow says beating the teams that are around Barrie in the standings will be treated as a priority.
"As a manager, I'm more concerned about beating the top five teams opposed to just the bottom four," Matlow said. "I want to start beating those Londons and I want to you know get ready for Hamilton this week and Guelph and Welland... it'll be more of a gauntlet, but we'll be ready for it."
UP NEXT
The Baycats are in Guelph on Wednesday to make up a game rescheduled from June 9. Starters are yet to be announced.
Kitchener hosts Welland on Sunday.
