Royals Double-Up Baycats; Move-Up Standings
GUELPH - A big weekend, indeed.
The Guelph Royals defeated the Barrie Baycats 8-4 on Sunday evening to improve to 12-7 on the season.
With the loss, the Baycats fall to 13-8.
Guelph starter Jacob Kush outdueled Cesar Rosado in a battle between the top two pitchers in the IBL, picking up the win after pitching six innings of two-run ball.
The Guelph native struck out eight Barrie batters while allowing six hits and three walks.
Royals right fielder David Stanley led the way at the plate, going three-for-four.
The junior entered the game for JD Williams, who was quickly ejected in the bottom of the first inning.
Guelph reliever Brandon Deans picked up the two-inning save.
Rosado took the loss for Barrie in the worst start of his IBL career, allowing four earned runs on six hits and seven walks in just four innings pitched.
BARRIE - 4-8-3
GUELPH - 8-11-3
BIGGEST PLAY OF THE GAME: Up 6-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Royals left fielder Ethan Hammond hit a two-run single to double the Royals lead.
Given the Baycats loaded the bases in the top half of the ninth, Hammond's single loomed large.
BY THE NUMBERS...
1.80. Kush's ERA is now 1.80 on the season, creating some breathing room for the ERA title. Rosado entered Sunday with the second-best ERA in the league at 1.74, but it ballooned to 2.57 after his tough start.
3. With the win, the Royals move to third place in the IBL, surpassing the London Majors, who lost both games of their doubleheader on Sunday to the Kitchener Panthers. Guelph is just a game back of the Baycats for second place.
3. Three errors from the Royals on Sunday, with two of them coming in the ninth inning, made the final moments of the game a lot more interesting than needed.
3. A three-walk game for Hammond, who had his best game yet since making his season debut on Monday.
4. Four strikeouts in two innings for Deans, who has put together two great appearances in a row after some struggles in June.
8. All Eight runs batted in from the Royals came from their 5-6-7-8 hitters, who came up clutch all weekend long for Guelph.
LOOKING AHEAD...
The Royals are off Monday before welcoming the Welland Jackfish to town on Tuesday.
The first pitch is set for 7:30 pm.