LINESCORE
CANADIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE
Guelph 000 003 020— 5 7 1
Barrie 021 000 201— 6 7 0
J. Kush, Thomas (6), Pineda (7), Case (8), Escorcia (L,3-1) (9) and Ward;
Vasquez, Encarnacion (7), Pakkala (8), Sano (BS, W,6-1) (8) and Puyol-Genossar.
HRs: Gue — Ward (2); Bar — Rijo (2).
It's not often a team can bring the league's leading hitter off the bench, but that's exactly what sparked the Barrie Baycats (13-7) to a 6-5 walk-off win over the Guelph Royals (12-8) Thursday at Athletic Kulture Stadium.
Noel McGarry Doyle drove in two runs after entering as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning, including the game-winning RBI in the ninth. He finished 1-for-2 with a double and lifted his league-leading batting average to .478, but it was his ninth-inning fielder's choice that scored the winning run.
"I was tired of sitting on the bench," he said postgame. "As much as it's good for me to be resting up and healing the hamstring, it's just eating me alive sitting on the bench."
McGarry Doyle had not played since June 20, being precautionarily benched to heal his second hamstring injury of the year.
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Thursday marked the Baycats' fourth walk-off victory of the year, which moves their record in one-run games to 5-3. The win also ended the team's three-game losing streak.
"It was a character win... a complete team effort," manager Josh Matlow said postgame.
Carlos Sano (6-1) earned his career-best sixth win of the season despite blowing his second save of the year.
Meanwhile, it was the first CBL loss for Royals closer Kevin Escorcia (3-1), who had saved the previous two wins for his team over the Baycats.
Barrie opened the scoring in the second inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by Noah Hull and RBI single by Brandon Hernandez. Ryan Rijo extended the lead the next inning with a solo home run.
Baycats starter Saul Vasquez climbed back into the league co-lead in strikeouts, fanning eight across six innings while allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks. He was dominant until back-to-back RBI doubles by Andy Leader and Matthew Ward tied the game in the sixth.
His counterpart, Jacob Kush, also allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five over five innings.
Barrie restored its two-run cushion in the seventh when a wild pitch by Gleyvin Pineda scored the go-ahead run before McGarry Doyle doubled home another.
Matthew Ward erased the lead an inning later with a two-run homer, his second home run at Athletic Kulture Stadium this season. He was 3-for-4 with four RBI.
In the ninth, Francisco Hernandez drew a walk and advanced to third on a bunt and wild pitch. He then scored on McGarry Doyle's high-hopping groundball to second base, diving home just ahead of the throw.
"I was just thinking, if I see that ball hit the ground in front of home plate and I see it pop up, I'm going on contact." Hernandez said postgame.
Late in the game, Royals second baseman Miguel Hiraldo was ejected following an apparent confrontation with first base umpire Adam De Caire.
UP NEXT
Hayden Jaco (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his first pitching start since 2021 on Friday at Toronto (4-14).
"[The win is] a big step forward with the way the team's been looking so far," McGarry Doyle said. "We can use this momentum and carry it on and hopefully create a nice win streak out of this."
Meanwhile, Guelph hosts the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
