Panthers get blown out in Guelph

GUELPH - It was a close game. Until it wasn't.

The Guelph Royals blew open the contest with an eight-run seventh inning to defeat the Kitchener Panthers 13-3 at Hastings Stadium Wednesday night.

Guelph sent an unlucky 13 to the dish, and benefitted from a pair of Panther errors to boot.

The two teams traded a pair of runs in the third, before former IBL MVP Garrett Takamatsu hit a three-run home run in the fifth to make it 5-2.

That was part of a four-for-five outing for Tak, who drove in five runs and was a triple away from the cycle.

Yankiel Mauris gave up a pair of runs off four hits in four innings of work in his second IBL start. He walked and struck out three apiece.

For Guelph, Evan Grills was the story on the hill, striking out nine Panthers batters in seven innings for the win.

Blake Jacklin had three singles off Grills. Jett Jarvis had a pair of hits, and Raul Gonzalez had a hit to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

Ryan Burnside also came in to work an inning and a third after starting the game as the designated hitter for Kitchener.

He was perfect, striking out four of the five batters he faced.

Kitchener falls to 11-24 on the year, while Guelph improves to 22-13.

The Panthers head to Welland Thursday night at 7:20 p.m.

BOXSCORE