A late seven-run comeback fell just short for the Barrie Baycats (23-18), who were once again closed out by Fernando Rodney at home in a 7-4 loss to the Hamilton Cardinals (21-20) Saturday at Athletic Kulture Stadium.
Barrie was down 7-0 after six innings and only had three baserunners through the first two thirds of the game. Cardinals starter Logan Warkentin allowed just three hits and recorded five strikeouts in five shutout innings.
With the win, Hamilton claimed the season series against Barrie and set itself up to claim home field in the first round of the playoffs with a win Sunday.
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| TEAM | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 2 |
 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 3 |
RECAP
Baycats starter Cesar Rosado, who missed his last start due to some tightness, seemed rusty in his first appearance in two weeks. He allowed three hits, four walks, and four earned runs in 2.1 innings.
"Just didn't look like Cesar," Baycats manager Josh Matlow said postgame.
Brandon Nicoll drove in Hamilton's first run with a double in a top of the first inning that lasted 15 minutes.
Rosado seemed to find a groove after a seven-pitch second inning, but allowed four more runs in the second and committed an error.
Yolki Peña had an RBI single, Nicoll scored on a passed ball by Tyler Plumpton, and Niko Kekatos drove in two more with a single.
After Kekatos' at bat, Matlow emerged from the dugout to make a pitching change, and Rosado approached Matlow during that moment.
"He was going to meet me halfway, and throw me a ball," Matlow said. "I've never seen that in my life, so I told him to get back on the mound and do it properly, and he did."
Rosado's body language was noticeably negative, and he sauntered back to the dugout slowly after he handed the ball to Matlow.
Hamilton added two more in the seventh off Adam Khan with another RBI double by Nicoll and another RBI single by Peña.
Cardinals reliever Drew Mainprize allowed Barrie's first run after an RBI single by former teammate Andrew Johnston.
Barrie's comeback attempt was kickstarted in the ninth with back-to-back doubles by Noah Hull and Tristan Clarke off Chris Boatto. After Noah Hull walked, Hamilton brought in All-Star reliever Steven Hopsital.
However, Hospital couldn't convert his first career IBL save. Johnston drove in another, grounding into a fielder's choice. Then, Tyler Plumpton made it a three-run game with an RBI single.
At that point, Cardinals manager Luis Bernardo made the call for former big leaguer Fernando Rodney to get the save. It was a situation Bernardo surely didn't expect to need Rodney in, especially after he had a one-inning, 19-pitch outing Friday against Guelph.
Despite the 48-year-old usage the night prior, he struck out James Anderson and Noel McGarry Doyle, who each represented the tying run, to end the game and pick up his second save in Springwater this year.
JACO'S RETURN
Saturday marked Hayden Jaco's first game in the Baycats lineup since a doubleheader in Chatham June 22.
"Every day I'm trying to tune in that they're playing," he said postgame. "It's tough being a part-time guy with my living situation across the country, but whenever I can get out here, it's incredible to be back with the guys and back in front of the fans."
He had the Baycats' only two hits over the first four innings, including a double.
"He brings life into the team," Matlow said. "It gets to a point where you need some of the players to step up and be vocal and Jaco's that guy. He holds the guys accountable and we're just a better team with him."
NOTES
Brandon Hernandez, Francisco Hernandez, and Juan Benítez were each suspended one game stemming from the events of their previous game against Kitchener.
UP NEXT
Barrie hosts the London Majors (24-17) Sunday in a game that will decide the second and third seeds in the IBL playoffs. Victor Payano (6-3, 3.21 ERA) will start for London, Benítez (5-2, 4.05 ERA) will start for Barrie.
"We're going to treat this as a playoff game," Matlow said. "We do want second place."
The Cardinals are in Brantford to play the Red Sox (11-30) in their regular season finale.
