Panthers win fifth straight

KITCHENER – Make it five straight victories for the suddenly hot Kitchener Panthers.

After beating London 14-4 in the resumption of a suspended game, the Panthers took the regularly-scheduled game 6-2 Sunday at Jack Couch Park. 

Kale Murray’s grand slam in the eighth was part of a six-run inning to put the first game away. Nick Parsons hit a three-run blast and Simon Grinberg drilled a solo home run. Raul Gonzalez had two hits and two RBI, Yunior Ibarra went 3-for-5 with two RBI, Ryan Burnside drove in a run, and Nolan Misa singled twice and scored twice.

Danny Garcia (1-0) picked up the win, giving up two runs on seven hits in four innings. He struck out seven. Yadian Martinez started the game weeks ago and went three rain-shortened, scoreless innings. He scattered three hits and struck out three.

Cleveland Brownlee and Kaiden Cardoso each drove in a pair for London. Eduardo De Oleo had three hits and scored, Victor Plaz singled twice, and Tristan Osika had two hits.

Victor Payano (2-2) took the loss, allowing a run on three hits over two innings. He struck out three.

In the regularly-scheduled game, Panthers’ leadoff batter Raul Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs. Jett Jarvis delivered a two-run hit, Spenser Ross had two hits, and Eric Martin added an RBI as Kitchener moved to 9-14.

Jose Vasquez (2-3) went two innings for the win. He allowed a run on two hits with three strikeouts.

Jose Arias (3-4) went the distance for London (14-9). He was touched for six runs on 10 hits over six innings – the game only went seven. He walked two and struck out seven.

At the plate, Brownlee hit a solo home run. Gibson Krzeminski had the other RBI. Byron Reichstein singled, doubled and scored.