The Welland Jackfish moved to 7-0 atop the IBL standings with a four-run sixth inning propelling them to a 4-3 win over the now-2-6 Barrie Baycats.
It's the third loss in a row by one run for Barrie, which seemed to get the bats going with a six-home run performance in a 12-4 win in Kitchener on Sunday.
While a couple balls left the yard off Barrie bats, it wasn't enough to win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
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Starting pitching was masterful early on in this game. Jackfish right-hander Teodoro Ortega retired the first nine batters he faced. Baycats starter Cesar Rosado held Welland scoreless through the first five innings despite allowing five baserunners and having to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth.
Rosado continued his trend of often getting deep in counts with his opponents, eventually allowing three walks, but inducing 10 groundball outs in that span—very different production from the IBL's strikeout leader in 2024.
In the bottom of the fifth, Baycats right fielder Willy Garcia led off with his first IBL home run to open the scoring. The ball is believed to have ended up on Highway 26.
Garcia, a former major leaguer, was touted as someone who could potentially lead the IBL in home runs, and now that he has the first one out of the way, he feels more settled in.
"I feel awesome," he said. "Every time I go to home plate, [my teammates] are waiting like for me to hit the ball hard or do something."
The next half-inning was where it all unraveled for Barrie.
Jake Sanford led off the frame with a single, before Rosado plunked Robert Mullen and Matteo Porcellato to load the bases. Welland had the bases loaded for the next five at-bats including RBI singles by Greyson Barrett and Jonah Weisner and a walk by Josh Marchese.
When Rosado was pulled from the game in the middle of that inning, he was furious with Merkley, surprisingly able to avoid an ejection.
Noel McGarry-Doyle homered for the first time this season in the bottom half of the inning to make it 4-2, and an RBI groundout by Nolan Machibroda made it a one run game in the eighth.
A scary moment occurred right after McGarry-Doyle's home run. Brandon Hernandez was hit in the knee on the next pitch, which left him in loads of pain on the ground, but stayed in the game. There was no reaction from either dugout that may signal it was intentional.
"He wanted to stay in," manager Josh Matlow said postgame. "But I have a feeling it's going to be swollen tomorrow, and I guess we'll cross that bridge tomorrow when I'm writing the line up."
Hernandez was seen with his knee heavily wrapped up in a bandage
Welland reliver Deivy Mendez, who set the IBL single-season saves record (12) in 2024, closed the door on Barrie with his 23rd career save in the league. That moves him into a tie for third all-time with Dave Hatch.
A bright spot for Barrie was the relief pitching, which did a great job keeping Welland at four runs. Chris Lazar pitched 2.1 innings and totaled four strikeouts against his former team before rookie Ethan Morris added another scoreless inning. Lazar, specifically expressed how much the outing meant to him.
"First time in my baseball life recently that I've questioned how good I still am at this," he said postgame. "I understand that not everything's going to work every day."
This was the second consecutive home game the Baycats lost by one run, and in both games, the home plate umpire was Jared Merkley.
There were some calls that could have went our way, and they didn't unfortunately," Matlow said. "That may have been the difference."
Barrie got its only walk in the ninth and struck out 11 times. Welland walked four times and had nine strikeouts. Against Hamilton Saturday, the Baycats were walked once and struck out 11 times.
KEY MOMENT
Barrett's at-bat continued despite a controversial ball call from Merkley. What would've set up Rosado for a chance to leave the bases loaded again turned into a tie game, and later a three-run deficit.
STARTING PITCHERS
Cesar Rosado (BAR, 0-1): 5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO
Teodoro Ortega (WEL, 2-0): 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO
UP NEXT
Both teams face London in their next game. Barrie is at Labatt Park Friday where Frank Garcés will start. Welland will host the Majors Saturday.
