Jackfish Hang 15 on Brantford in Wild Wednesday Slugfest

By ROD MAWHOOD

Low-scoring affairs... this wasn't your kind of baseball game.

If you like fireworks, stolen bases, crooked numbers and absolute chaos, then Wednesday night at The Pond was baseball paradise.

The Welland Jackfish exploded for 15 runs and held off a late Brantford comeback to defeat the Red Sox 15-11 in a game that featured 26 total runs, 27 hits, 4 errors, and enough offence to feed the entire Rose City.

Setting the tone once again was Jackfish spark plug Daiki Abe, who looked more like a blur than a baseball player all night long.

The speedy Japanese import reached base six times, finishing 3-for-3 with three runs scored, three walks and an eye-popping four stolen bases as he terrorized Brantford from the opening pitch.

"Daiki has been really good for us — he's so dynamic," said Jackfish Manager Brian Essery. "He has great at-bats and is a really tough out. He's also the fastest player in the league."

The Jackfish wasted absolutely no time putting the game away... or so they thought.

Welland erupted for a jaw-dropping 10-run second inning, turning The Pond into one giant celebration and putting Brantford in an early hole that seemed impossible to escape.

Jonah Weisner and Ethan Mann each drove in three runs as the Jackfish lineup continued to pound the baseball from top to bottom, while starter Myles Martinez earned the victory.

But the Red Sox refused to quietly pack up the bus.

Andrew Savage launched a grand slam and piled up six RBI to fuel Brantford's comeback attempt, trimming what had once been a massive deficit and forcing the Jackfish to stay on the gas until the final out.

Fortunately for the home crowd, Welland had built just enough cushion to survive the late push and improve with another entertaining victory.

Next up, the Jackfish hit the road Friday night for a showdown in London, looking to keep the bats blazing and the fun rolling.