Royals Bounce Baycats To Remain In Pennant Hunt

Photo Credit Gar Fitzgerald

The Royals pennant drive got back on track Tuesday night with a 4-2 victory over the Barrie Baycats at Hastings Stadium.

Following a humbling defeat Sunday afternoon in Hamilton, the Royals faced the Baycats' ace Frank Garces who locked horns with Royals newcomer Jeifry Nunez in an old-fashioned pitchers duel.

The Royals broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third inning by striking for three runs on a sac-fly by Dalton Pompey which scored Brendan Keys from third followed by a double by Kyle Degrace that allowed Conner Morro to score and an RBI single by Malik Collymore which brought home Degrace.

The Baycats got to Nunez in the fourth via a solo home run by Malik Williams on a pitch that missed on the inside half of the plate and was promptly launched somewhere out of the ballpark in left field.

Nunez exited the game after the fourth inning without a decision allowing the run on a pair of hits, a walk, and recording five strikeouts.

Evan Chenier (2-0) pitched three innings in relief of Nunez for the win allowing a run on a solo homer in the 7th inning to Carson Burns.  He allowed three hits and had a strikeout.

Brendon Deans pitched a scoreless 8th inning for the Royals while Andrew Case notched the save in the ninth with a strikeout to end the ballgame.

The Royals added an unearned run in the 7th off Garces when Pompey stole third and the throw by Josh Cote sailed into left field allowing him to score.  

Garces (1-2) took the loss, allowing all four runs (three earned) on 11 hits, 3 walks, and 8 strikeouts.


The victory puts the Royals (23-11) just 1.5  games behind the idle London Majors and Welland Jackfish who are both  24-9 on the season.  

The Royals host the Majors Saturday night at 7:30 pm at Hastings Stadium.