TIMMINS - The Champoux Homes/Wacky Wings Orioles punched their ticket to the Timmins Men’s Baseball League championship series Tuesday night at Fred Salvador Field, but it didn’t come easy.
After finishing first in the five-team league during the regular season, it took 10 innings for the Orioles to nail down an 8-7 win Tuesday night to complete their three-game sweep of the Lessard-Stephens Red Sox.
It was the Red Sox who got on the scoreboard first, as they took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Brent Cleverdon’s base-loaded RBI single brought home Sheldon Lacroix, who had singled to lead off the inning, with the game’s first run.
The Red Sox added a second run in the bottom of the third inning to extend their lead to 2-0.
Eric Comtois reached base on a fielder’s choice and then was able to come all the way around to score on Lacroix’s RBI double.
The Red Sox held onto that two-run advantage until the top of the fifth inning when the Orioles were finally able to get their offence in gear.
Mario Fillion hit a one-out single to get the ball rolling and then stole second base.
He was able to move over to third base when Pat Durepos grounded into a fielder’s choice and then came in to score the Orioles’ first run on a wild pitch.
After David Tambeau walked, Joey Chartrand delivered a two-run double that scored both Durepos and Tambeau.
Trailing 3-2, the Red Sox responded with a run in their half of the inning to tie things up.
With two outs, Comtois smashed a double.
Randy Rice followed with an RBI single that then allowed Comtois to come around and score from second base.
The Orioles scored a pair of runs to take a 5-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning.
Eric Paquette drew a walk to lead things off in the top of the frame, stole second base and one out later, moved up to third base on a Mike Barber single.
Joey Hamelin’s RBI single brought home Paquette with the go-ahead run and then Fillion followed with a single of his own to plate Barber with an insurance run.
With their season on the line, the Red Sox responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
With one out, Eryk Rice started things off with a single and then moved up to second base on a passed ball.
The next two Red Sox hitters, Lacroix and Randy Rice, drew walks to load the bases.
Greg Therrien then delivered a two-run single to drive home Eryk Rice and Lacroix to tie things up a 5-5.
Neither team was able to break the deadlock in the eighth inning, but the Orioles scored twice in the top of the ninth inning to take a 7-5 lead.
With one out, Chartrand hit a single, moved up to second base on defensive indifference and came in to score on Eric Boulard’s RBI double.
One out later, Dani Durepos delivered an RBI single to bring home Boulard.
The Red Sox battled back in their half of the frame, however, to tie things up at 7-7.
They loaded the bases with one out, as Eryk Rice reached base on an error by Orioles pitcher Trevor Niemi, Comtois singled and Lacroix drew a walk.
Therrien then stepped up to the plate and delivered his second-consecutive two-run single to once again deadlock the game and force a 10th inning.
