IBL ROUNDUP: Cards battle back to beat Brantford

HAMILTON – A five-run eighth inning was enough for the Hamilton Cardinals to beat Brantford, 6-5, on Friday night at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium.

Hamilton sent eight batters to the plate in the decisive inning. The Cards scored their runs on five hits and took advantage of two errors. 

Quin Cotton drove in two runs for Hamilton (18-22). Luis Bernardo and Tanner Rempel had an RBI apiece. Brandon Nicholson singled, doubled, scored twice and had two steals. 

Alex Lanigan (3-0) tossed three scoreless innings of relief for the win. He walked one and struck out two. Corben Peters fanned two and allowed an unearned run for his third save.

Jeremie Veilleux led Brantford’s offence with two hits and two RBI. Kieran Bowles, Cris Ruiz and Christian Kuzemka all drove in a run. Jacob Lupton took the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits over 2.1 innings. He struck out two. 

Brantford dropped its fourth straight game and fell to 8-32.

Majors escape with win

LONDON – Jaryd Lund worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning to preserve the London Majors’ 6-5 win over Barrie on Friday at Labatt Park. 

London’s closer opened the inning with three walks, a wild pitch and a balk as Baycats stood at each base with none out. Lund, who recorded the last seven outs, induced a double play from Royce Ando and then struck out Carson Burns to end the game and pick up his second save.

Majors’ starting pitcher Alex Springer (2-0) earned the win, allowing four runs on seven hits. He walked one and fanned four. 

Offensively, Starling Joseph and Kayne McGee each hit solo home runs. Daniel Battel and Brad Verhoeven had two hits and a run apiece.

For Barrie, Starlin Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Hayden Jaco also drove in two, Adam Odd went 3-for-5 with two runs and Ryan Rijo added three hits, an RBI and a run. 

Juan Benitez (4-3) took the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) on nine hits over six innings. He walked three and struck out four. 

London improved to 14-25, and Barrie fell to 26-15.