KITCHENER PANTHERS
13-TIME IBL CHAMPIONS
Kitchener Panthers
menuPanthers struggles continue against Welland
KITCHENER - After the Kitchener Panthers took the early lead - and lost their catcher in the process - the Welland Jackfish showed the resilience that has helped them stay at the top of the table.
The Fish came into Kitchener and walked away with a 10-6 win Sunday afternoon.
Things didn't start too pleasant for the home side. Catcher Yunior Ibarra was quickly ejected for arguing balls and strikes after the first pitch was delivered to the second batter of the game.
Luke Murray came in to catch the rest of the way. He doubled and came in to score in the second to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Simon Grinberg's first inning home run opened the scoring.
It went back and forth after that. Welland scored four in the third, and Kitchener responded to tie the game with a pair of runs to make it 4-4 after three.
The Jackfish scored four more times in the fourth, highlighted by a three-run home run from Gio Morello, and that proved to be more than enough.
Yadian Martinez went four innings, striking out just two batters while giving up 11 hits and eight runs (seven earned).
Brandon Underhill got the win for Welland. He gave up six runs on seven hits in six innings of work. He struck out four and walked one.
The bottom three of the Jackfish order combined for six of the nine runs, and three of four home runs.
Both Dawson Tweet and Brandon Hupe were a triple shy of the cycle. Tweet homered twice.
For Kitchener, Grinberg and Nick Parsons drove in a pair of runs. Seven of the nine batters who started the game got at least a hit. Parsons' hit streak continues on at 18 games. He has hits in 19 of 20, dating back to May 30.
Gonzalez extended his hit streak to six games.
Kitchener's losing streak extends to six games, and now sit with a 10-21 record with 11 games remaining.
It sets up a big matchup with the Brantford Red Sox at Jack Couch Park on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
As a result of their win over Hamilton, Brantford sits at 10-22, half a game back of Kitchener for the final playoff spot.
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW and #PackTheJack!