Moore stymies Majors before big bats score late

By Darryl G. Smart

When Bennett Moore was informed that he was going to get the start on Wednesday against the hard-hitting London Majors, he quickly did some homework. Little did the 20-year-old right-hander from Goderich and the fans at Arnold Anderson Stadium know he was going to be an immediate impact.

After six innings of work, Bennett had the Majors scratching their heads, giving up only three hits, while striking six batters as the Red Sox held on to a 1-0 lead.

Unfortunately for the Red Sox, the bullpen gave up five runs in the seventh and one each in the eighth and ninth innings as the Majors ran away with a 7-2 win in Intercounty Baseball League action.

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“I was pretty nervous before this game,” Moore said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been that nervous in a bullpen. I looked and saw what they did in the first two games. I think they racked up like 28 runs in the first two games.”

Those stats didn’t seem to intimidate the pitcher that attended Johnson County Community college in Kansas City. Right away Moore settled in and found a groove.

“The game plan was about the slider,” he said. “I kept going back to that. We were thinking of a slider and a change up, but the changeup wasn’t working. I got a couple of luck bounces, but it was a good one. When you pitch like this against a team like that it gives you a ton of confidence.”

And confidence is something he hopes to ride throughout the season with the Red Sox.

“It’s a great group of guys here. I love it here,” Moore said after signing a couple of autographs. I’m hoping for more outings like this and work on the game.”

Red Sox field manager Matt McGovern was impressed with the youngster.

“He really battled hard,” McGovern said. “He gave us a chance to win and that’s all you can ask for.”
Moore said McGovern contacted him after seeing him online.

“I’m going to the University of Guelph and the Baseball Guru on Twitter posted something about me and the coach here saw that and asked if  I wanted to come down here and play. And I said of course,” Moore said. “As soon as I knew I was coming back to Canada, I wanted to play in the IBL. It’s a great league with a lot of pros. Brantford was the team that came calling so I went with it.”

Offensively for the Red Sox, Michael Deluca hit a bases-loaded single to right field to score Nc Burdett. In the eighth inning, Ricky Murray’s sacrifice fly scored Jesse Fishbaum.

Josh Williams did the damage for the Majors in the seventh inning, smashing a bases-loaded double to centre field, breaking the game wide open. 

Owen Boon got the win on the mound for the Majors, lasting seven and a third innings, giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out 13.

The Red Sox four games and five days stretch continues Thursday, when they go on the road against the Welland Jackfish (1-2) at 7:30pm, before returning home Friday at 8pm to take on the defending champion Barrie Baycats (0-1), and Sunday at 2pm against the Hamilton Cardinals (1-0).