Ricketts goes deep, Juniors fall to Cubs, Giants
Ontario Blue Jays catcher Brayden Ricketts (Brampton, Ont.) belted the Junior National Team’s first home run in Dominican Fall Instructional League Camp action on Saturday. Photo: Baseball Canada
October 14, 2023
Baseball Canada
The Junior National Team lost to the Chicago Cubs DR 6-5 in a back-and-forth affair that was decided in the late innings in their first game in Dominican Fall Instructional League Camp action on Saturday.
Canada got their bats going early, scoring two runs in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead capped by a William Polanco (Laval, Que.) RBI double.
The Canadians would keep their lead until the fifth inning when the Cubs scored a pair of runs to take a 5-4 lead.
Brayden Ricketts (Brampton, Ont.) smashed the first home run of the JNT’s Dominican Fall Instructional League Camp in the seventh inning. He also doubled in the contest to finish 2-for-3.
Dante Smith (Ajax, Ont.) also had a good day at the plate, collecting a pair of hits in four at bats and scoring a run while Tim Piasentin (Coquitlam, BC) and Carter Cathers (Nanaimo, BC) both tripled in three at bats.
Right-hander Tate Carey (Windsor, Ont.) started and permitted two runs on three hits, while striking out three, in three innings. Shane Brinham (North Vancouver, BC) was the first out of the pen, allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out five, in 2 1/3 innings. Merek Yeager (Muenster, Sask.) finished the game on the mound for the Canadians, allowing one run in two innings.
Game 2
The Junior National Team fell to the San Francisco Giants DR 7-5 in their second game on Saturday.
The Juniors scored five runs on eight hits.
Anthony Clavet (Quebec, Que.) got the juniors on the board in the top of the first with an RBI single that scored Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.).
Simon Baker (Cochrane, Alta.) led the offence for the juniors, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Esteban Dessureault (Trois-Riviéres, Que.) was also a key contributor with a perfect 1-for-1 day at the dish with three walks, an RBI and a run.
Jacob Wallace (Pincourt, Que.) battled on the mound for the juniors, permitting two earned runs on three hits in four innings. Geoffrey D'Amato (Milton, Ont.) worked a perfect inning in relief, striking out a batter. Will Hynes (Mississauga, Ont..) entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and permitted only one hit and struck out a batter.