Washington Drops Pitcher's Duel, Backs Against the Walls Now in FLDS
QUÉBEC CITY, QUÉBEC, Canada (September 17) - A sixth-inning RBI single for Équipe Québec's Jeffry Parra proved to be the difference in a pitchers' duel in game three of the 2021 FLDS between Équipe Québec and Washington, as Équipe Québec took a 2-1 series lead by winning 3-2 at Stade Canac Friday night.
Washington started the scoring and took its first lead other than the 4-3 victory on the walk-off double in Game 2 of the series when Grant Heyman's single in the infield plated Trevor Casanova, who had singled to start the frame. He went to third on Bralin Jackson's book-rule double. Jackson scored on a double play ball off Hector Roa's bat.
Équipe Québec got its first hit in the fourth inning but Daren Osby quickly worked out of that after setting down the first 10 batters he faced in his start. Osby had four strikeouts through his first three innings and struck out the side around the one-out single by LP Pelletier in the fourth. But Équipe Québec got to the righty a bit in the fifth. Raphael Gladu doubled to lead it off and Gift Ngoepe drew a walk. Gladu was thrown out as the lead runner on an attempted sacrifice bunt for the first out before Ngoepe and the new runner Connor Panas advanced on a groundout. Jesse Hodges knocked both home with a full-count dribbler up the middle for a single to tie the game.
The home team took the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a run-scoring single by Jeffry Parra. P Pelletier singled to start the inning and went to second on an error before going to third on a groundout and scoring from there.
Miguel Cienfuegos' night came to a close after seven strong. He allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks. He also hit a batter. Daren Osby left the game after retiring Pelletier in the eighth. He threw 7.1 innings of three-run ball, struck out eight and walked just one. He threw 101 pitches, 70 of which went for strikes.
Trevor Casanova reached on a walk to start the ninth but was the first out on a double play ball off Jackson's bat against closer Evan Rutckyj, who struck out Grant Heyman to end the game and give Équipe Québec a 2-1 series advantage.
Game four of the FLDS is an elimination game for Washington. It's slated for 6:05 p.m. ET tomorrow at Stade Quillorama in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada.
