{"id":4257,"date":"2025-06-13T13:18:06","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T17:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/?p=4257"},"modified":"2025-06-13T13:41:40","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T17:41:40","slug":"barons-unleash-69-sweatsox-unleash-hell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/2025\/06\/13\/barons-unleash-69-sweatsox-unleash-hell\/","title":{"rendered":"Barons Unleash #69, SweatSox Unleash Hell"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

All-around attack, 69 inspiration, and Ramage dominance fuel 15-5 win<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOUTHGATE, ON<\/strong> \u2014 The SweatSox offense exploded for the second straight game, delivering a 15\u20135 mercy-rule win over the Siempre Tequila Barons in just five innings Wednesday night at Southgate. It was the second consecutive shortened victory for the surging ‘Sox, who climbed above .500 with the win to improve to 5\u20134.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a true team effort from the SweatSox, who scored in every inning, capped by an 8-run fifth that left no doubt. All 11 players who stepped onto the field scored at least one run \u2014 except for starting pitcher Josh Ramage, who once again proved he\u2019s still not quite fast enough to score from anywhere but third.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramage, making his fifth start of the season, was solid again, giving up five-hits, zero earned runs, with a walk, a strikeout, and a pickoff to boot. He improved to 2-3 on the year. Eric White mopped things up in the 5th with an inning of defenseless relief, striking out 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did my part,\u201d Josh said after his four innings on the mound. \u201cBut let the record show: I only got seven runs of support. Eric shows up for one inning and suddenly we\u2019re scoring eight? Seems rigged.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The TSN Turning Point came midway through the game when Barons Manager Josh Primeau made a pivotal announcement: “#69 Nathan Aborameh is entering the game.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe didn’t know what the score was at that moment, or even who he was subbing in for,\u201d said first baseman Larry Pawelek, \u201cbut when we heard sixty-nine<\/em>, everything changed. We were inspired. We were united. We were unstoppable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Primeau took the unusual move in stride: \u201cI\u2019ve got nothing but respect for the SweatSox,\u201d he said postgame. \u201cTheir vibe made me realize I needed a 69 jersey on the roster. We just need to make sure we\u2019re channeling that 69 energy inward next time, and not letting it power up the other guys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the plate, the SweatSox were fueled by multi-hit performances from Craig Cornell, Phil Leduc, Andrew Hierlihy, and a surprisingly nimble Josh Ramage. One of Cornell\u2019s hits, a ground-rule double, halted Ramage at third \u2014 a detail Josh continues to insist cost him a run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was definitely<\/em> scoring on that,\u201d insisted Ramage. \u201cAsk Kent…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We almost lost outfielder Kent Johnston between innings, literally, when he vaulted the center field fence and darted off in pursuit of what his bird app described as a rare Velvet-Throated Beakwhistler. \u201cI did happen to find Craig\u2019s ball while I was out there, but not the bird, so I came back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, and Josh was never scoring on that one\u201d. Johnston reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also earning offensive mentions were Trevor Williams, who dropped a perfect bunt for a hit \u2014 described by teammates as \u201cthe most perfect bunt in SweatSox history\u201d \u2014 and Jaspreet Sanghra and I (Shaun Keay), who were both hit by pitches for different but clearly obvious reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the defensive side, third baseman Mark Bond delivered the play of the night in the third inning, racing into foul territory to snare a real tough popup with Barons runners threatening. But after shifting to shortstop for the fifth, Bond\u2019s game took a… Roger Dorn-esque turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI made 4 errors in that inning on purpose to test Eric\u2019s mental strength,\u201d Mark clarified postgame. \u201cBut I swear to you: I was going to make the fifth play. And if not that one, 100% the sixth. No question.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Despite this historic meltdown, SweatSox Manager Cory Bond stuck with his brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI definitely felt the pressure to pull (or cut) him \u2014 the players were looking at me, the fans were shifting uncomfortably \u2014 but I had a hunch he was going to come through,\u201d said Cory. \u201cAnd he did. Big two-run single minutes later, and then scoring the mercy-clinching run. Sometimes you\u2019ve just gotta believe in your guy\u2026 even when your guy is Mark.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elsewhere, Phil Leduc was quietly solid in right field, flawlessly handling all three balls hit his way. \u201cDidn\u2019t leave a single doubt,\u201d noted Craig Cornell on the bench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Barons had their moments too. Jason Hogan set the tone early with a sliding catch that robbed Eric White of a leadoff hit. Kyle Pelkey led the O with a scorching double to deep left-center. Starting pitcher Griffen Courtice pulled off a perfectly legal pickoff to third, leaving the SweatSox bench, baserunners, and coaching staff so baffled that all we could do was yell \u201cbalk\u201d and hope the umpires bailed us out \u2014 they didn\u2019t. Meanwhile, Nathan Rutter showed impressive hustle at third base, chasing down a foul ball purely to boost his step count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Special mention goes to Bini Kanungo, a certified Good Guy\u2122 Hall-of-Famer who paid his respects to the SweatSox media czar (I, Shaun Keay) for his Opening Day blog shoutout. No need to thank me again next game for this one, but I know you will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noticeably absent from the action Wednesday night was Barons stalwart James Cloutier, sidelined by what he described as a \u201cmild case of the Ramage-flu.\u201d Said Cloutier from home: \u201cIf White was starting, I\u2019d have gutted it out and raked. But Ramage? Nah. I wasn\u2019t feeling that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Home plate umpire Neal Phadnis earned kudos for his mental stamina and subtle showmanship, somehow surviving a full game behind the plate with both Ramage and White on the mound. He also managed to preserve one of our three game balls, tucked away untouched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d Phadnis said, handing the pearl to a grateful SweatSox team. \u201cSave it for a rainy day, literally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UP NEXT:<\/strong> The SweatSox return to action this \u201cSunday Sunday Sunday\u201d \u2014 Father\u2019s Day \u2014 at Trillium against the Rockets, where we’ll most certainly face the man who\u2019s made us call him \u201cDaddy\u201d since the mid-90s: Mike Bayley. Ugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Earlier tonight, our Mark Bond joined Lenny Merullo and Bob Brenly as the only players in baseball history to commit 4\ufe0f\u20e3 errors in a single inning ?.

Somehow, it didn\u2019t even matter.

SweatSox 15. Barons 5.

WP- Ramage (2-3)
LP- Courtice (0-2)

#69 pic.twitter.com\/qEvvnk4heF<\/a><\/p>— SweatSox (@SweatSox) June 12, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>