LINESCORE
CBL SEMIFINALS - GAME 6
Hamilton 200 000 101 01— 5 8 0
Barrie 000 011 020 00— 4 12 1
Boon, Garcia (BS) (7), Adames (8), Warkentin (S,1) (11) and Magill;
Vasquez, Moreta (7), Sano (BS, L,0-1) (9) and Puyol-Genossar, Ciprian (10).
HRs: Ham — Reyes (2); Bar — Hull (1).
OTHER SCORES
Welland 15 London 6 (Welland wins series 4-2)
As soon as it seemed like the Barrie Baycats were inches away from forcing Game 7 in the CBL Semifinals, it wasn't much longer before the team found itself 400 feet away.
In an extra-innings thriller, Noel McGarry Doyle, representing the game-winning run, was thrown out at home plate in the 10th inning before Reyny Reyes led off the 11th with a go-ahead home run, giving the Hamilton Cardinals a 5-4 win in Game 6 of the CBL Semifinals on Saturday at Athletic Kulture Stadium.
Hamilton won the best-of-seven series with the victory, securing its first Finals appearance since 2002.
The Baycats left fielder attempted to score the winning run from second on a ground ball that was initially misplayed by Cardinals shortstop Brandon Nicoll.
McGarry Doyle did not break stride after Nicoll dropped the ball, but was called out at home plate, sending the game to the 11th inning.
Baycats manager Josh Matlow said he believed McGarry Doyle was safe.
"I thought we won it there," he said postgame. "I was celebrating, and then he called him out and I wasn't sure why."
"If we get out of the first inning without [allowing two runs], or if we shut the door in the ninth, we're not even in that position to have to leave it up to the umpires." Baycats designated hitter Ryan Rijo added.
Instead of celebrating an improbable win, the Baycats were back on defence minutes later.
Reyes then led off the 11th inning by sending the first pitch of the frame over McGarry Doyle and out of the ballpark, putting Hamilton ahead for good.
The dramatic ending came after Barrie had spent most of the afternoon fighting its way back from an early deficit.
Reyes gave Hamilton a 2-0 lead with a two-RBI single in the first inning, accounting for the only damage against Baycats starter Saul Vasquez for much of his outing.
After allowing three hits to open the game, the Mexican left-hander retired 17 of the next 18 batters he faced until walking Tanner Rempel, making his first start since suffering an ankle injury in July, and allowing a subsequent go-ahead double off the bat of Evan Magill.
Vasquez went 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits while striking out six and walking three. He had been too sick to pitch the previous night before taking the ball in an elimination game and throwing over 110 pitches.
Barrie slowly chipped away at Cardinals starter Owen Boon, who allowed two earned runs over six innings on eight hits and two walks.
Noah Hull got the Baycats on the board with a solo home run in the fifth before Nolan Machibroda tied the game with an RBI single in the sixth.
Hamilton regained the lead in the seventh, but Barrie answered again.
Rijo tied the game with an RBI double before Machibroda, who finished 4-for-5 with two RBI, drove in his second run of the afternoon to give Barrie its first lead of the game.
Those hits came off Danny Garcia, who was in his second inning of work after a very quick one-two-three seventh.
"II thought that played to our advantage actually with where we were coming up in the order," Rijo said postgame about Garcia's quick inning.
The Baycats entered the ninth inning three outs away from forcing Game 7, with closer Carlos Sano seeking his second save in as many days.
Instead, Angel Guerrero tied the game with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly.
Barrie continued to fight after Hamilton tied the game, eventually putting itself in position to end the series in the 10th before McGarry Doyle was called out at home plate.
The Baycats were unable to respond after Reyes' home run. Logan Warkentin stranded the tying run at first to secure his first career playoff save.
Barrie had repeatedly played its best with its back against the wall. It became the first team to win a Wild Card Game in the league's new playoff format and then fought back from a 3-1 series deficit with a Game 5 victory in Hamilton on Friday.
"There's a lot of fight in our guys, and I'm proud of the boys," Matlow said. "It just hurts."
Rijo said the loss was particularly difficult after Barrie had fought its way back into the game.
"Losing a game of that magnitude there, that sucks, especially on your home field," he said. "We had a chance to win, and that's all you can really ask for."
The loss ends another deep playoff run for the Baycats, who had reached the Finals each of the last three years.
It was also Hamilton's first playoff series win over Barrie after losses in 2014, 2018, 2023, and 2025.
Rijo met Tyler Duncan, the longest-tenured Cardinals player, at the front of the handshake line: "He said to me, 'it took me five years, but I finally got you guys.'"
UP NEXT
The CBL Finals begin in Hamilton on Friday between the Cardinals and Jackfish. Hector Yan (2-0, 0.90 ERA) is expected to start for Hamilton, while Welland's Game 1 starter has not been named.
It will be the first-ever playoff meeting between the two franchises, going back to when the Jackfish, then known as the St. Thomas Storm, entered the league as an expansion team in 2000.
