Sanford helps Titans past Capitales
Jake Sanford (Cole Harbour, N.S.) had two hits and an RBI to help the Ottawa Titans to a 4-1 win over the league-leading Quebec Capitales on Friday night. Photo: Ottawa Titans (file photo)
July 11, 2025
Official Ottawa Titans News Release
Ottawa, Ont. - Opening the final series of the first half, the Ottawa Titans got back to their winning ways with a 4-1 victory over the league-leading Québec Capitales on Friday.
Scoreless through two-and-a-half innings, the Titans tallied the opening run of the series on a 6-4-3 double play ball off Takuma Uchima in the third. With the bases loaded and nobody out, AJ Wright rolled into the double play, scoring a leadoff double from Dylan Driver.
In the top of the fourth, the Capitales capitalized on a pair of leadoff walks against Alfredo Villa - who allowed a one-out single to right from Marc-Antoine Lebreux (Montreal, Que.) to tie the score.
After three innings of one-run ball in his first pro start in North America, Uchima's night was done.
Facing Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis, the Titans took the lead for good courtesy of a pair of leadoff hits from the middle of the lineup in the fifth. After moving into scoring position with one out, Nolan McCarthy ripped a chopper deep in the hole at third - in which Christian Inoa had the ball go off his glove and into foul territory, still managing to get the out at first. However, Aaron Casillas plated the go-ahead run to make it 2-1.
Dominant all evening long, Villa saw his night end midway through a plate appearance following 5 1/3 innings. The righty won his fifth game in his last six outings, allowing just one run on two hits, walking four, and striking out four.
After finishing the sixth, Kaleb Hill allowed a single and a double to put two runners in scoring position with one away in the seventh inning. Electing to walk Ruben Castro to load the bases intentionally, the Titans handed the ball to right-hander Billy Duby. With the dangerous bat of Kyle Crowl in the box, the veteran hitter lined a soft liner towards shallow right, in which Jackie Urbaez dove to take away a hit and keep the Titans in front. It also happened to be the front-end of an inning-ending double play.
With momentum headed to the bottom of the seventh, the Titans put two on against Emile Boies (Levis, Que.) - as right-hander Kevin Rodriguez allowed a pair of RBI singles off the bats of Nolan McCarthy and Jake Sanford (Cole Harbour, N.S.). Allowing the two inherited runners to score, the Titans added much-needed insurance to go up 4-1.
In relief, Hill allowed nothing on two hits over an inning, while Duby hurled 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. Shane Gray earned his first professional save by working a clean ninth to secure the win.
Aaron Casillas had two hits, pushing his on-base streak to 17 consecutive games. Justin Fogel singled to extend his hitting streak to 11 in a row. AJ Wright went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. Sanford had a solid night at the plate by going 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.
The club has now won six of their last seven and 11 of 13 with two games left before the all-star break.
The Titans continue the final homestand of the first half with the second of a three-game series against the Capitales on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. at Ottawa Stadium.