O’s Over Red Sox in AL Championship Game
AL Championship
Orioles 7
Red Sox 4
The Orioles and Red Sox met at Lions Park on Saturday to decide the American League representative in the Mosquito Cup Championship. Jimmy Boulanger got things started on the mound for the O’s, and delivered a shutout inning against the normally potent Red Sox offence. In the bottom half of the inning the Orioles scored two, led by Hunter Macleod’s leadoff double. Ronan Sexton took the hill and continued where Jimmy left off, pitching a shutout through the second and third innings. Together the first year pitchers combined for no hits, no runs and 5 strikeouts over three innings. Hunter Macleod would get an RBI on another double in the 2nd inning to increase the lead to 3-0.In t
In the bottom of the third the Red Sox countered with their Ace, Joel Robinson, who shut down the O’s offence. Dakota Janzen came into the game to pitch for the Orioles in the 4th inning. The ace of the staff delivered, despite battling the pain of an abscessed tooth, giving up just one unearned run.
Dakota got some much needed run support in the bottom half of the inning, as the O’s got to Robinson with the four run maximum. Highlights of the inning included a leadoff double from Logan Clark, Hunter Macleod hitting his third double of the game, and a two-run triple from Ronan Sexton.
Down 7-1 going into the fifth inning, the Red Sox were not prepared to give up, and came through with some big hits from David Krahn and Kaleb Kent. Combined with some shaky defence, this led to 3 runs for the Sox to narrow the lead to 7-4. But that would be as close as it would get. Dakota continued to battle, giving up nothing before finally succumbing to the pain with two gone in the 6th. Dakota was on his way to the dentist, when Cade Vanderwoude came in from the bullpen and delivered in the clutch, striking out the final Red Sox batter to close out the game. The O’s had won 7-4.
It was a great game of Mosquito baseball, hard fought from beginning to end.
The Orioles now prepare for the Mosquito Cup Championship, which goes at 4PM next Saturday at Lions Park. They will await the winner of the NL Championship between the Nationals and Dodgers. Meanwhile the Red Sox will muster their pride for the Bronze Medal Game, which goes just before the final.