Osika hits walk-off homerun to end Cardinals losing streak

The Hamilton Cardinals came from behind to win 5-3 against the Guelph Royals (22-11) on STALA Building Solutions Day at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium on Sun, July 31.

Tristan Osika hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk-off the game and end the Cardinals losing streak at 14 games.

Osika pounded the second pitch over the right field fence for his third dinger of the year and sent the Hamilton bench into a frenzy. 

The Cardinals fell behind 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning after former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder, Dalton Pompey, stole home on a throw to second base by Ryan Burnside. 

Burnside, who was the only Cardinals player with multiple hits in the game, made it 3-1 on an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning to score Tyler Duncan.

Another former Blue Jay, Jose Fernandez, was credited with the win for the Cards after pitching a scoreless eighth and ninth inning. Fernandez added four more strikeouts to his season total, now 14 K’s in seven innings.

Tristan Osika, Luis Jean and Josiah Devapalan made a key 4-6-3 double-play in the bottom of the sixth inning to help the Cardinals keep the score close.

Leftfielder, Jacob Underwood, had an RBI single to keep the game alive in the bottom of the ninth and make it 3-2. 

Sam Turcotte had a solid start with just one rocky inning. He pitched five innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits while striking out five and walking zero batters. 

Nick Davies also contributed on the mound, pitching two innings and surrendering just one run on one hit.

Hamilton narrowly out-hit Guelph 6-5 but committed no errors to the Royals two. 

With this win, the Cardinals improve to (7-26) on the season and remain in seventh place and could potentially play Royals in the playoffs. 

The Cardinals play their next game Thurs, Aug 4 against the Kitchener Panthers (12-20) at Jack Couch Park at 7:30 p.m. Hamilton then returns to Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium on Fri, Aug 5th to face the Brantford Red Sox (2-29) at 7:35 p.m. 

The home game against the Red Sox will once again be broadcasted by Cable14 and simulcasted on the Hamilton Cardinals YouTube channel. 

Get your tickets for any Cardinals home game during the regular season through SeatGIANT.

The Hamilton Cardinals Baseball Club is a member of Canada's best league, the Intercounty Baseball League. The over 100-year old summer league is one of the oldest baseball leagues in the world, established in 1919.

Written by Jarrett Matthews
Photo by Art Ward