Mendham hits first pro HR to help Titans to win

David Mendham (Dorchester, Ont.), shown here with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, hit his first professional home run for the Ottawa Titans on Saturday to help them to a 6-5 win over the Florence Y’Alls at Ottawa Stadium. Photo: Oklahoma State Athletics

July 22, 2023

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Ottawa, Ont. - AJ Wright's go-ahead solo homer to lead off the eighth inning helped the Ottawa Titans to a 6-5 victory over the Florence Y'alls on Saturday.

Grant Larson fell into trouble early on in the first, allowing the first two to reach with two-strike singles. Craig Massey brought Tristin Garcia home on a fielder's choice by legging out a potential double-play ball to open the scoring.

Stranding three on base over the first two innings, the Titans took the lead against rookie right-hander Carter Spivey in the third. Jamey Smart's RBI single plated AJ Wright before North Vancouver, B.C., native Taylor Wright's sac fly scored Jackie Urbaez.

In the fourth, AJ Wright's rocket of a double to centre rolled all the way to the wall to score Austin Davis from third to make it 3-1.

The Y'alls battled back to tie the game against Larson with a pair of runs in the fifth. Lane Hoover's ground out scored Ray Zuberer before Tristin Garcia put the visitors level with an RBI double.

Larson would allow a run in the sixth and vacate with the Titans trailing. With two on, Augie Gallardo struck out a pair to get out of the frame.

The left-hander would go 5 1/3 innings and allow four runs on six hits, walking two, and striking out four.

Dorchester, Ont., native David Mendham's first career homer to right-centre would tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, as the Canadian took Carter Poiry deep. Later, Jamey Smart's bloop single to right scored Austin Davis to put the Titans back in front.

After leaving the bases loaded in the seventh, the Y'alls tied the game yet again off an error in the eighth. Making Erasmo Pinales elevate his pitch count, Lane Hoover's fly ball to left was misplayed by Broc Mortensen, allowing Ray Zuberer to score the tying run.

To lead off the bottom of the eighth, AJ Wright blasted his team-leading 11th homer of the year to left-centre off Ben Terwilliger to put the Titans ahead 6-5.

In the bottom of the ninth, Trevor Clifton made things interesting by walking a pair with two outs before getting Zade Richardson to lineout to end the ballgame.

With the win, Austin Davis finished the night 1-for-1 with three walks and four stolen bases, setting a franchise record. Meanwhile, AJ Wright recorded a 4-for-5 day with a double, homer, and two RBIs.

Also, the Titans move a game over .500 for the first time since May 14, the third game of the season.

The Ottawa Titans finish their three-game set against the Florence Y'alls on Sunday at 1:00 pm at Ottawa Stadium.