Quebec seniors and juniors underway
The uniform No. 23 coach Dominic Bolduc, wore so well — seven championships in 10 years was retired at Desjardins Stadium as the 2020 season got underway. Photo: Jean-Hugo Savard, Courrier Frontenac.
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Fenway Park is home to the Boston Red Sox.
From the second deck in right field hang the numbers 1, 4, 8, 9, 27 and 42. The numbers represent Bobby Doerr (1), Joe Cronin (4), Carl Yastrzemski (8), Carlton Fisk (27) and Jackie Robinson (42).
And now on the outfield fence in Thetford Mines -- home of the Blue Sox -- will permanently reign No. 23. No, it is not a tribute to former Montreal Expos manager Dick Williams -- elected to the Hall of Fame -- or reliever Grant Jackson, who wore it next.
The uniform now hangs in left field at Desjardins Stadium in appreciation of ex-coach Dominic Bolduc, who used to wear the No. 23. Bolduc was more dominant than the New York Yankees winning seven championships in 10 Ligue de baseball Majeur du Québec seasons.
Thetford opened the season and baseball in Quebec, with a 9-7 win against last season’s finalists the Shawinigan Waterfalls. Jérôme Duchesneau (Levis, Que.) hit a two-run homer in the second inning, while Jean-Michel Acquin (Valleyfield, Que.) and Dany Paradis-Giroux (Levis, Que.) also went deep.
Michel Simard (Quebec City, Que.) started for the winners allowing only a weak single in four innings for the win. Jonathan Paquet (Ancienne Lorette, Que.) took the loss.
Quebec joins Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador were games are underway in the 2020 season.
At Léo-Asselin Stadium ... Actors Vale Beavers beat the Cardinals of Saint-Jérôme 5-2 in another LBMQ game.
Shawn ainville (Verdun, Que.) hit a single in the seventh to break the tie and then François Choquette (St-Alphonse de Granby_ hit a two-run homer off veteran reliever David O’Neill (Repentigny, Que.) who was tagged for four hits and three runs in 2/3 of an inning.
Alexander Cruz-Diaz (Laval, Que.) lined a ball which looked like trouble off the bat, but Alexander Vincelli (Montreal, Que.) made an outstanding catch to end the game. Reliever James Vardy (Pointe-Claire, Que.) was credited with the victory. Gabriel De Lisi (Montreal, Que.) allowed one hit in three scoreless innings.
For the Beavers Philippe Delisle (Lanoraie, Que.) hit two singles. St. Jerome’s Dave Gauthier (St-Hilaire, Que.) allowed four hits and two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings winding up as the hard-luck loser.
To comply with the health regulations the Beavers set a limit of 175 spectators about a quarter of the capacity.
The senior league started but had to halt play
Acton Vale _ The league regrets to announce the immediate suspension of its activities until further notice. The lack of public health understanding of the reality of Quebec amateur ball regarding the dispute over the number of spectators allowed in our stadiums forces us to make this difficult decision.
Management, in concert with Baseball Quebec, is already at work to make government authorities hear reason. Please follow the various social media to stay abreast of future developments.
Daniel Bélisle
LBMQ Commissioner
LHP Christopher Pouliot (Boischatel, Que.) has been in a groove before — but five scoreless with 13 strikeouts, including nine straight … now that is tough to top.
At Stade Richard Desmeules ... Saguenay thumped Charlesbourg 11-2, thanks to LHP Christopher Pouliot (Boischatel, Que.) being dominant on the mound pitching five scoreless to kick off the Ligue de Baseball Junior Elite du Québec. He allowed two hits and struck out 13. Pouliot, who finished his freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh this spring, fanned nine straight.
RF Xavier Bilodeau (Quebec, Que.) and LF Simon Menier (Chicoutimi, Que.) led the winners with three hits apiece. Bilodeau doubled to knock in three runs, while
Menier was 3-for-4 night, including a triple, driving in a pair. CF William Pichette (Jonquiere, Que.) had a pair of hits and knocked in two runs, with a double. C Luis Gendron (Levis, Que.) also knocked in three runs. SS William Tremblay (Chicoutimi, Que.) doubled and drove in two.
For Charlesbourg 2B Raphaël Savard (Nicolet, Que.) and 1B Raphael John Leblanc (Shawinigan, Que.) each doubled in a run. RHP Mathieu Massicotte (Quebec, Que.) took the loss allowing six runs on six hit and four walks in two innings.
At Parc Clair Matin ... Repentigny knocked off St-Eustache: 6-2. 2B Anthony Marcano (Montrreal, Que.) led the way with a pair of homers and four RBIs. CF Michael Pavan (St Leonard Que.) and RF Antonine Boulet, (Ste-Sophie, Que.) each contributed a base hit.
Jacob Brault (Blainville, Que.) pitched five scoreless allowing three hits and striking out one. Repentigny scored four in the fifth for a 6-0 lead.
For St-Eustache, 3B Edourd Savoie (St-Eustache, Que.) had three hits, including a double, while knocking in a pair of runs. 2B Tommy Reyes-Cruz (Montreal, Que.) doubled in a run, while DH Marcel Maxime Lacasse (Gatineau, Que.) and 1B William Perrin (Terrebonne, Que.) each had a base knock.
Alexis Latreille (St-Eustache, Que.) was charged with the loss allowing six runs -- four earned -- on five hits and a walk. He struck out six.
At Stade Denis Boucher (home of the best curve ball in the building): Granby blanked the LaSalle Cardinals 3-0. RHP Zachary Gagnon (Ste-Julie, Que.) pitched six innings allowing four hits while striking out nine for the win, Jeffrey Dupont (Trois Rivieres, Que.) worked a scoreless seventh with two whiffs for the save.
RHP Conor Angel (Lachine, Que.) of University of Louisiana at Lafayette, was the hard-luck loser giving up one run in four innings as he stuck out six.
LF Felix Beaudoin (Brossard, Que.) drove in a pair of runs for Granby, while RF Nicholas Tremblay (Mont-St. Hilaire, Que.) and CF Xavier Bégin (Varennes, Que.) had the other hits for Granby.
LaSalle had singles from Justin Humenay (Beaconsfield, Que.), RF Jordan Glazer (Cote St-Luc, Que.), SS Ryan Bawart (Vaudreuil sur le lac, Que.) and a double by C Archer Bookman (Pointe-Claire, Que.).