Narita Tosses Gem; Bats Come Alive Late in Win Over Baycats
MIDHURST - A playoff-style win.
The Guelph Royals shut out the Barrie Baycats 5-0 on Thursday evening to improve to 14-10 on the season.
With the loss, the Baycats fall to 17-8.
Guelph starter Yuki Narita was fantastic in his first start of the season, tossing six innings of shutout, two-hit baseball.
The native of Japan struck out six Barrie batters.
Royals second basemen Blake Simpson led the offensive charge at the plate, going just one-for-five, but his one hit was a bases-clearing, two-out double in the top of the seventh inning to give the Royals a 3-0 lead.
Barrie starter Cesar Rosado was brilliant in his third start against on the year against Guelph, tossing six innings of no-hit ball, while striking out 13 Royals.
Baycats reliever Adam Khan took the loss in relief.
GUELPH - 5-5-1
BARRIE - 0-3-4
BIGGEST PLAY OF THE GAME: Simpson's two-out, full-count, bases-clearing double off Khan broke the game open for the Royals.
NICEST PLAY OF THE GAME: In the bottom of the third inning, Royals catcher Franklin Torres -- in his IBL debut -- gunned out Ricky Phillips at second base with ease, with Phillips out by a country mile.
BY THE NUMBERS...
2. Two shutout innings for Yomar Concepcion on the evening, striking out five batters in the process.
1.83. Narita lowered his ERA on the season to 1.83, in one of the best starts of his young IBL career.
23. 23 combined strikeouts in the game, with Barrie striking out 13 batters and the Royals striking out 13.
LOOKING AHEAD...
The Royals are off for the All-Star break until Sunday when they travel to Hamilton to face the Cardinals.
The first pitch is set for 2:00 pm.