Sanford, Wright help Titans split doubleheader with Greys

Taylor Wright (Vancouver, B.C.) had two hits and two RBIs for the Ottawa Titans in their doubleheader split with the Empire State Greys on Friday. Photo: Ottawa Titans (file photo)

July 8, 2022

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Ottawa, Ont. - After dropping both games of a doubleheader a week ago, the Ottawa Titans (31-18) earned a split with the Empire State Greys on Friday, dropping the first game in sudden death, then recording a 10-1 victory in game two.

Game 1 - Empire State 6, Ottawa 5 (SD)

The Greys tagged right-hander Zac Westcott for three runs on two hits in the top half of the first, with Trey Woosley scoring one on a double, followed by a two-bagger from Paul Mondesi.

Jordan Holloman-Scott added to the lead with a two-run single in the second, as the Titans found themselves behind 5-0 after two.

Right-hander Connor McGuire cruised through the first three innings, as the Greys' starter did not allow a hit, nor a runner the first time through the order.

As Westcott settled in after a rocky first couple of innings, the righty kept the home side in the game, tossing seven complete innings in the first game of the twin-bill, allowing five runs, two earned, on 10 hits and fanning seven.

Down to their final four outs, the comeback was cued with a four spot against McGuire, as Taylor Wright (Vancouver, B.C.), Tyrus Greene, and Clay Fisher all had RBI knocks.

Jason Pineda relieved McGuire and allowed a one-out triple to Jacob Talamante in the seventh. Jackie Urbaez tied the game with a sac fly, sending the opening game to extras.

After the eighth solved nothing, the game needed to be decided by the Frontier League's Sudden-Death rule.

Electing to defend, the Titans brought on lefty Grant Larson who loaded up the bases with one out. Mondesi played hero, lining a sac fly to centre to score the winning run.

The Titans now fall to 0-3 in the Frontier-League's Sudden Death Tiebreaker this season.

Game 2 - Ottawa 10, Empire State 1

Putting the sour defeat of game one behind them, Jose Taveras rung in 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball, as the righty struck out six.

The offence strung together a pair of runs in the first against righty Nicholas Luc, with Jason Dicochea and Taylor Wright (Vancouver, B.C.) plating runs.

With two on and nobody out in the second, Urbaez smacked a triple to right, scoring Talamante and Mitsuki Fukuda, making it a 4-0 lead.

Later in the frame, Rodrigo Orozco lifted a sac fly to centre, scoring Urbaez to extend the lead to five.

Woosley's one-out single in the top of the fourth got the Greys on the board. The tally would be the only run Taveras would allow en route to his fourth victory of the season.

Jake Sanford (Cole Harbour, N.S.) and Greene added to the lead in the fifth with base hits, putting the game out of hand.

On the hill, Matt Terrones and Kenny Williams worked an 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, fanning three combined.

For good measure, Orozco, Dicochea, and Sanford added runs against reliever Jordan Powell in the sixth inning.

In the nightcap, Orozco finished 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. The Panamanian is hitting a team-leading .439 since June 28, with eight runs batted in.

The Titans continue their series with the Empire State Greys on Saturday night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. from Ottawa Stadium. Following a Sunday matinee, the Titans hit the road for four in Trois-Rivières, then play their final home series of the first half next weekend against the Quebec Capitales.