Alberta clinches semi-finals berth with walk-off win over B.C.

Dymitri Pavlove scores in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Alberta Red a walk-off 6-5 victory over B.C. Orange and a berth in the T12 semi-finals on Monday. Photo Credit: Jennifer Redenbach

By Julia Kreuz

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO – Willy Alexander Diaz Vasquez delivered a walk-off RBI single as Alberta Red topped B.C. Orange 6-5 Sunday night in Tournament 12 action at Rogers Centre.

Alberta’s victory moves them into the semi-finals on Monday.

Diaz Vasquez finished 2-for-3 with one RBI and a walk in a game that saw several lead changes over seven innings.

“I’ve been working so hard, you know,” said Diaz Vasquez, at the end of the game. “On playing better, I’ve been making adjustments, so this is really an incredible moment.”

Ryan Beitel finished 1-for-3 with two RBI for B.C. (2-2).

Alberta (2-2) starter Liam Froment pitched three shutout innings in which he allowed four hits, a walk and struck out two. Jared Arnold allowed three hits and four runs (two earned) in one inning of work and Thomas Little (1-0) struck out three, allowing two hits and one earned run to come away with the win.

Alberta scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to come back from a 5-4 score.

The Red tied it at 5-5 on a throwing error by losing pitcher Jackson Flemons (0-1) on a pickoff attempt that scored Ayden Makarus.

Ayden Makarus slides into third base for Alberta Red during their 6-5 victory over B.C. Orange in T12 action on Sunday at Rogers Centre. Photo Credit: Jennifer Redenbach

Diaz Vasquez singled to centre field to score Dymitri Pavlov to end the game.

“This is my second time in this tournament, but this is definitely the best one,” he said. “It was a very emotional moment.”

After allowing a 3-0 lead and launching a four-run comeback in the top of the fourth, British Columbia allowed Alberta to tie the game at 4-4 with an RBI single by Cesar Valero that scored Diaz Vasquez.

B.C. took a 5-4 advantage in the top of the fifth with a bases-loaded sac fly from Ryan Beitel to score Brandon Nicoll.

Alberta capitalized on throwing errors in the second and third innings to open the score at 2-0.

Pavlove got the first RBI of the night with a single to left centre field that scored Makarus and ended starter Joseph Sinclair’s night.

B.C. cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth on a bases-loaded RBI single by Beitel.

Arnold allowed a bases-loaded walk as Dayton Peters scored to bring the Alberta lead to just one run in the top of the fourth. Johnny Vulcano was credited with the RBI.