Expos Mauled by Tigers; Mistakes Everywhere Lead To Delta Taking Both Games of the DH

The Expos just couldn't get off the schneid today, it was a perfect day for baseball, music pumping at Winskill Park and a lively BP before the game. Once the Expos were thrown into the cage to face the Tigers, the nooner turned out to be one to forget while the back end of the doubleheader (DH) was a step in the right direction. Here's what you missed if you weren't at sunny Tsawwassen to kick off May 2016.

Game 1 - EXPOS 0 Delta 10 (5 innings)

The boys from Vancouver Minor just never got out of the starting gate and got left in the cage to get mauled by Cam Frick's Delta Tigers. The boxscore says it all, 10 errors, 10 runs (only 1 earned) and only 2 hits off Cassie. Although Cassie was in fine form today on the mound, striking out 7 batters and only allowing 2 hits over 5 innings pitched; the Expos never gave themselves a single chance as errors were contagious in this one. Errors spread around from and to every player on the Expos' ball club, mental and physical. Frick's Tigers went for the jugular, as the Expos could only watch the score increase and their fielding % drop precipitously. Nothing to see here, nothing you want to see here, move on to game 2.

Game 2 - Delta 7 EXPOS 4

The Expos seemed re-energized and ready to bounce back in game 2 after an "emotional and heated" lunch break. The now visiting team, Delta started off the game scratching across a run (unearned again) thanks in part to a error in LF. Eureby got the start for the Tigers looking to alos bounce back after poor performances on the Island the past weekend and pitched well against a Expos squad that has struggled mightily at the dish as of late. Eureby lasted 5 innings giving up only a single run. The third inning saw Delta increase their lead to 2 runs as Delta once again put together good at bats and eventually drove home a run on a sac fly making it 2-0.

The bottom half of the 3rd was an eventful one as Fukuda and Inomata were both thrown out at 2nd base trying to steal (after a single) both calls were prematurely made, the base umpire was most definitely having a tough day. In between innings, Antiporda (while warming up) inadvertently overthrew his warmup partner in RF and the ball landed near the base umpire, the base umpire (already heated from the jeering from the Vancouver specators) was fuming as he was certain Antiporda tried to hit him, he approached #32 and gestured at him that's when Manager, Yam who saw the entire situation unfold sprinted out to defend his player, Yam was prematurely ejected and after a heated exchange left the field of play baffled, A. Inomata would perform managerial duties for the remainder of the game.

To see their manager defend his players the way he did seemed to ignite the Expos as Ellis would have a shutdown 4th inning, the bottom half of the 4th saw 3 back-to-back-to-back singles from Antiporda, Suarez and Hutchings; however, and ill advised and aggresive send to home on a shallow single by Hutchings by the acting 3rd base coach cost the Expos big time as Antiporda got caught in the rundown and  was tagged out, Suarez retreating back to 2B was also tagged out; the inning went from what could have been 0 outs and bases loaded and Howse up (who was 12 for his last 15 at bats) to 2 outs and a runner on 1st base with Howse up. Vancouver Minor would feel the hurt even more as Howse promptly doubled to right-centre which would have scored at least 2 runs and given tied the game with still none out. After all this, a Hutchings straight steal of home off Eureby would score the Expos only run that inning.

In the 5th inning, the Expos saw Delta extend their lead by 2 thanks to a long MacLeoad home run to left and a Miller double. The 6th inning saw the Expos come within one run as an Antirpoda walk to lead off the inning, followed by Suarez's third hit of the day, Hutchings single and a clutch Baybay triple all contributed to the 3 runs. Down a run in the 6th, Delta threatening with runners at 2 and 3 (1 out) with cleanup Cassie at the dish, with manager Yam watching on he could only bite his tongue as Cassie was given a fastball he was waiting for and he drove it to the fence for a double, 7-4 Delta. A no out ground ball double play (1-6-3) started by the defensively sound Sasaki in the bottom of the inning crushed all hopes of a comeback.

The Expos will take a day (Monday) to clear their head and will go hard for three days, practicing on fundamentals and better approaches at the plate. The weekend will have Expos playing their first 4 away game double header, the hard throwing White Rock squad on Saturday and Nanaimo Pirates on Sunday. The second game of Sunday's DH was a step in the right direction, an 0-4 weekend hurts but it's time to move on, no time to sulk, time to put in the work and get better.