September 3, 2023

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Québec City, Que. - Taking a 3-2 lead to the bottom of the ninth, the Ottawa Titans allowed a pair of runs to cross, falling 4-3 to the Québec Capitales on Sunday night to end the 2023 season.

Carlos Sano and Ruben Ramirez each mowed through the opening four innings, allowing nothing across to keep the game scoreless. Facing his former team, Sano at one point retired nine straight to keep the Titans level.

In the fifth, two stood aboard as the lineup flipped back to the top, with Jesmuel Valentin knocking in one with a single to right. Later, a double from Greg Brid doubled the lead to 2-0.

The deficit did not phase the Titans, putting runners at the corners with two outs against Ramirez. Already 2-for-2 in the contest, Joey Terdoslavich tied the game at two with a double to the right-field corner. Terdoslavich's sixth double of the season scored Jake Sanford (Cole Harbour, N.S.) and Jamey Smart to tie the score.

After a leadoff ground-rule double in the bottom of the sixth from David Glaude (Quebec, Que.), Sano managed to get a pair of outs. The Titans then handed the ball off to Chris Burica, who needed just one pitch to get Jonathan Lacroix (Montreal, Que.) to line out, ending the threat. In his return to Stade Canac, Sano went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, on six hits, walking three, and striking out one.

As the tie game went to the eighth, Jason Dicochea's single to begin the inning stood at third with two outs. Facing Evan Rutckyj (Windsor, Ont.), Terdoslavich walked, setting up a go-ahead single from Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) to make it 3-2.

With a scoreless inning from Erasmo Pinales in the eighth, the Capitales put two in scoring position with nobody out in the ninth. The Titans elected to intentionally walk Ruben Castro to load the bases. Jesmuel Valentin wasted little time, drilling a walk-off two-run single to centre to complete the comeback. The single from Valentin helped lock up the East Division title for the Capitales for a second-straight season.

The Titans finish the 2023 regular season at an even 48-48, sixth place in the division.