Cardoso's three-run HR helps Titans to win

First baseman Kaiden Cardoso (Abbotsford, B.C.) belted a three-run home run to help the Ottawa Titans to a 4-2 win over the New York Boulders on Friday. Photo: Ottawa Titans (file photo)

August 15, 2025

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Pomona, N.Y. - Opening one of their biggest series of the year, the Ottawa Titans won their fourth in a row with a 4-2 victory over the New York Boulders on Friday - closing the gap to two-and-a-half games on the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Conference.

After leaving a pair of two-out singles aboard in the first against right-hander Blaine Traxel, the Titans put the first two on in the second and threatened. With a Justin Fogel single and a hit by pitch of Victor Cerny (Winnipeg, Man.) on base, Kaiden Cardoso (Abbotsford, B.C.) crushed his fourth homer of the campaign out to right to make it 3-0 in the early going.

Alfredo Villa dominated through the first three innings, facing just one more than the minimum to keep the Titans ahead.

With a pitch-count sub 40 entering the fourth inning, the Boulders pounced the second time through their order to make it a one-run game. With Kyle Hess' leadoff hit by pitch at third following a wild pitch and a throwing error, Jason Agresti's RBI ground out cut into the deficit. Later, the Boulders connected for three consecutive one-out hits, with Alfredo Marte rolling a run-producing ground ball into left field to make it 3-2.

Villa managed to escape the fourth inning by getting Enzo Apodaca to ground into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to end the threat. In the fifth, the Boulders loaded the bags with one out - in which Villa recorded two massive outs with an Agresti lineout and a Fritz Genther fielder's choice to keep the Titans in front by one.

The Titans' right-hander hurled a season-high seven-plus innings, allowing just two runs on five hits, walking two, hitting two, and striking out a pair for his team-leading ninth win of the year.

In the eighth, Cristian Inoa ripped a leadoff double against Traxel to stand in scoring position to open the frame. After a call to the bullpen, Grady Gorgen saw Fogel make it 4-2 with a sac fly to right, scoring Inoa. Fogel has now posted an RBI in three straight games.

Jon Beymer inherited one on in the bottom of the eighth, striking out a pair before issuing a free pass to Santino Rosso to put the tying run on base. With two outs, the Titans turned to Shane Gray, who walked Alfredo Marte to load the bases - but the closer managed to escape the jam with a strikeout of Apodaca.

Working a four-out save, Gray stranded a walk in the ninth inning to clinch the victory in the road trip opener.

Jake Sanford (Cole Harbour, N.S.), Cristian Inoa, and Justin Fogel all posted multi-hit nights in the win. AJ Wright doubled and walked, while Kaiden Cardoso homered and was hit by a pitch.

The Titans continue a seven-game road trip with the second of a crucial three-game series against the Boulders on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. at Clover Stadium in Pomona, New York.