Aurora Jays extend winning streak to seven

July 8, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

The Aurora Jays AA men’s baseball team put up double-digit runs for the seventh time this season on Friday, part of their season-high seven game winning streak.

In Lisle for one of two road games last week, the Jays took on an Astros team that hadn’t added to their win column in over a month.
They lit up starting pitcher Ron Mercer for ten runs on some key singles and a strong eye for walks, forcing him out of the game after less than four innings of work and a 10 – 3 score.

Five more runs crossed the plate for the Jays in the next two innings, when the game was mercy-ruled at 15 – 3 after six innings of play. Brad Crosby hit his second long ball of the season in the contest, scoring twice. His fellow All-Star teammates Phil Hache and Chris Fafalios combined for five runs of their own, while Rob Spencer struck out five through a complete game to continue his stellar year on the mound.

The competition was stiffer in Barrie on Sunday, facing an Angels team that was on their way up following a number of recent key performances against top-ranking teams.

This time, the veteran arm of Andrew Bukovec went the distance on the mound, tossing a complete game while giving up only seven hits. Some solid fielding held the Angels to four runs in the game, child’s play for the Jays, who put up seven of their own including three in the final inning in a 7 – 4 win.

Stephen Vallee was the star of the show, going three-for-four while crossing the plate once. The top of the order including Vallee, Ian Rettie, Crosby, and Fafalios proved deadly to the Angels’ defence, as a number of doubles drove in run after run.

The hitting prowess of the league’s most offensively-minded team was showcased in Saturday’s league All-Star game, hosted by the Midland Indians.

Fafalios was crowned game MVP for the East, who handled the West easily in a 7 – 1 win. He went two-for-two and was hit by a pitch, crossing the plate all three times he was on base. Power-hitter Rettie had a single to help his team to victory.

Crosby shone on the mound, pitching the first three innings while allowing only one run and striking out three batters.

With their seventh win in a row, and the winners of nine of their last ten, Aurora has solidified its position as one of the most dominant forces in the NDBL. Their league-leading 171 runs has accounted for a 14-3-0 record so far this year, good for second place in the fourteen-team league.

The Jays face the Clearview Orioles at home on Tuesday after press-time, before a busy weekend that sees them making two trips on Sunday. They head to New Lowell to face the league-leading Knights at 1p.m., before making the trip to Angus to face the Black Sox for 5p.m.

For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.ndbl.ca.