Brantford Red Sox overcame an early 4-0 deficit to defeat the Hamilton Cardinals 6-5 in extra innings in the season finale on Sunday, August 17, 2025.
Sox SP Leandro Mejia took to the bump for Brantford’s final game of the season and had a rough start as the Cardinals touched him up for two runs in the top of the first. Hamilton capitalized on some tough defence by the Sox, including two passed balls and a couple of hit batters, while running the bases efficiently, and getting timely hits as they jumped out to the early lead.
Brantford came out quickly to start their half of the inning, getting a leadoff single from CF Brody Black. LF Rene Tachioka grounded into a fielder’s choice but then stole second base, which was quickly followed up with a swipe of third to give the Red Sox a runner on third with only one out. After a strikeout by 1B Christian Ortega and a walk, SS Jakob Cantor grounded out to the Cardinals SP Freisis Adames to end the inning.
Mejia had a strong start to the second inning, striking out the first two batters her faced before Cardinals RF Carlos Dominguez hit a solo home run over the fence to give the visitors a 3-0 lead. After allowing a double to Cardinals CF Tyler Duncan, Mejia struck out SS Brandon Nicoll to end the inning. Brantford had an uneventful bottom half, going three up, three down.
Mejia shut down Hamilton in the top of the third, only allowing one hit while striking out another two Cardinals hitters. Adames matched Mejia in the bottom half, getting another three up, three down inning, striking out two Red Sox batters.
In the top of the fourth, Hamilton touched up Mejia for another run but that was all they would get while Adames continued to have a strong outing, sitting down the Red Sox in order for the third straight inning.
Mejia started the top of the fifth, only allowing a single while striking out his eighth hitter of the game. Brantford still couldn’t muster any offence against Adames, going down in order for the fourth time in five innings.
With Mejia out of the game, the Sox went to RP Nicholai Arbach in the top of the sixth. Arbach had a strong start, striking out the first two batters he faced before allowing back-to-back singles, and then striking out Duncan to end the threat. Brantford got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, getting to Hamilton RP Corben Peters. The Red Sox capitalized on some erratic pitching, defensive errors by the Cardinals and three timely hits, including an RBI double by 3B Lucas Lefebvre to cut the deficit to 4-3 after six innings.
Red Sox RP Jorge De la Cruz came out to start the top of the seventh and after hitting the first batter he faced, got three outs in order including throwing out a Cardinals runner for a clean inning. Brantford had a good chance to tie things up at four in their half of the inning after DH Jeremie Veilleux walked and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Black was then hit by a pitch, which was followed by a single from Tachioka loading the bases for the home team. Ortega came up with the bags juiced but struck out to end the inning as the Cardinals held on for the 4-3 lead.
De la Cruz kept the Cardinals at bay in the eighth, striking out the side to keep his team within one run. The Red Sox finally got their first lead of the game in the bottom half, starting with a leadoff walk, followed by an RBI double by Cantor and an RBI single by Lefebvre as the home team was up 5-4 heading to the ninth inning.
De la Cruz was back on the mound in the ninth and got two quick outs before Hamilton strung two hits together, a single and a double, to tie things at five. Brantford had a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth but it was an uphill battle as they were up against former Major League Baseball closer Fernando Rodney. Rodney faced three batters, striking out all three to send the game to extra innings.
In the top of the tenth, the Cardinals had a runner on third with no outs but De la Cruz pitched out of the jam, getting two ground outs before striking out DH Matt Hildebrandt to end the threat.
Brantford had their chance to win the game in the bottom of the tenth, starting the inning with Tachioka on second. After an intentional walk to Ortega, Red Sox C Cassidy Watt hit a single to load the bases. Cantor came up with the bases loaded and hit the game-winning single as the Red Sox walked off the Cardinals for the 6-5 victory.
