JNT spring: Orioles get by juniors
Toronto Mets alum Noel McGarry-Doyle (Maple, Ont.) had two hits, including a double, and an RBI for the Junior National Team on Monday. Photo: Eddie Michels
March 18, 2019
By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada
SAINT PETERSBURG, FL--- Former Junior National Team star Adam Hall (London, Ont.) headlined a Baltimore Orioles’ prospects squad that took on the current version of the national team today at the Walter Fuller Complex, and it was Hall and the Orioles who prevailed, 9-5.
The Orioles struck for four runs in the bottom of the eighth to break a 5-5 tie using a pair of walks issued by reliever Viktor Bergeron (Terrebonne, Que.) and two base hits.
North Vancouver, BC’s Tristan Graham paced the Orioles’ offence with a pair of solo home runs hitting out of the three-hole in their batting order while Noel McGarry-Doyle (Maple, Ont.) had two hits including a double and one RBI for the Junior National Team.
GAME BREAKDOWN
Canada starting pitcher Theo Millas (Burnaby, BC) struck out five batters over three innings of work but was on the mound for four errors that led to three Orioles’ runs scoring in the second before giving up a solo home run to Graham in the third.
Millas allowed two earned runs on two hits and a walk.
The juniors loaded the bases in the top of the sixth before McGarry-Doyle’s single to left was misplayed that allowed both J-C Masson (Lévis, Que.) and Nicolas Tremblay (Mont St-Hilaire, Que.) to score.
Dasan Brown (Oakville, Ont.) then used his speed to reach on a fielder’s choice and promptly stole second base allowing Ayden Makarus (Airdrie, Alta.) to dash home from third base with the third run of the inning.
Antoine Jean (Montréal, Que.) took over on the mound to start the fourth and sat the Orioles down in order before getting out of a bases loaded, no out situation in the fifth with a strikeout and double play.
Graham ended Jean’s scoreless streak when he belted his second homer of the game to lead off the sixth before he finished his three-inning outing. The left-hander allowed one run, five hits and walk while recording one strikeout.
After Noah Hull (Toronto, Ont.) drew a two-out walk in the seventh, the juniors received singles from Ryan Leitch (Whitby, Ont.), Eric Martin (Kitchener, Ont.) and Jaden Brown (Mississauga, Ont.) to draw even, 5-5.
Bergeron got into trouble in the eighth walking the first two batters he faced before two singles and two errors led to four runs crossing home plate that gave the Orioles a four-run lead.
UP NEXT
The Junior National Team will be back in action tomorrow (1 p.m. E.T.) at the Walter Fuller Complex in St. Petersburg to take on a prospects squad from the Toronto Blue Jays’ organization...LHP Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) and RHP Gavin Pringle (Duncan, BC)...Fans can listen to the contest by visiting radiostpete.com.