Purdy RBI Leads Champions to Victory on a Wild Night
June 16, 2015 - Canadian American League (Can-Am)
Ottawa Champions News Release
Ottawa Champions and Rockland Boulders Brawl
(Ottawa Champions)
Ottawa, ON - A bench-clearing brawl stole the show at RCGT Park on Tuesday night.
The Ottawa Champions picked up a 4-3 win against the Rockland Boulders in the second game of their series, but not before a wild melee led to flying fists and multiple ejections.
In the top of the sixth inning Rockland catcher Marcus Nidiffer slid hard into Ottawa second baseman Roberto Ramirez after hitting a double.
Punches were exchanged, and the dugouts cleared.
"I didn't see any reason for (Nidiffer) to slide the way he did," Champions manager Hal Lanier said. "I think he went into second base intentionally trying to hurt Roberto (Ramirez)."
"He did a late slide, and the only thing Roberto could do was stand up for himself."
Two players from each side were ejected from the ballgame. Ramirez and first baseman Jon Talley for Ottawa, while shortstop Junior Arroyo joined Nidiffer in the showers.
Ramirez described his actions passionately after the game. "The blood gets heated. You don't really think in the moment, you just react."
"Him trying to hit me, that's baseball. If he wants to play hard, I'm gonna play hard too."
The Cuban infielder sees the win as the biggest takeaway for the Champions.
"It's like the team was playing harder, we were conscious of what we had to do," said the veteran Ramirez. "They team was playing hard, and we knew that if they do 'it' we can too."
Ottawa starter Dan Tobik had to leave the game after the brawl. He injured his knee in the bonanza, sending reliever Josh Blanco into the game.
The on-field excitement continued when the Champions lost their offensive leader. Bryce Massanari was playing first base after the Talley ejection, and collided awkwardly with a Boulder while trying to force an out.
Lanier said that Massanari ended up with a lump on the back of his head from the collision. He'll be re-evaluated by a doctor on Wednesday.
The Champions led the game 3-2 into the eighth inning, when the bats came alive for the Boulders. Stefen Henderson's single scored Joe Maloney, tying the game up for Rockland.
That set up some late-game heroics from Ottawa pitcher Nick Purdy who had to bat in the game once designated hitter Matt Tenaglia replaced Massanari in the field.
Purdy's scorched a single past first baseman Charlie Law that scored Sebastien Boucher, giving Ottawa a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The hit gave Purdy the game-winning RBI, along with the win on the mound.
"Words can't even explain it," Purdy gushed. "I saw a runner on second base, all I thought was: one out, make contact. And I hit it a lot harder than I thought I would."
Although it's an odd position for Purdy, he said that he has done it before. In Trois-Rivieres last season, Purdy was able to move a runner into scoring position with a sacrifice.
"I figure that as a pitcher, they're going to throw me mostly fastballs anyway. So I tried to take advantage."
With the win, the Champions improve to 8-12 on the season and have a shot at winning the series tomorrow night.
Lanier is taking it like any other game.
"That's what you try to do in any three-game series. You try to win it. We fought hard tonight, and we'll come out tomorrow and do the same thing."
The first pitch will be at 7:05 p.m.
Images from this story
Canadian American League Stories from June 16, 2015
- Purdy RBI Leads Champions to Victory on a Wild Night - Ottawa Champions
- Can-Am League Game Recaps - Can-Am
- Boulders Drop Wild Game in Ottawa - New York Boulders
- Big Third Inning Rolls Boulders past Champions - Ottawa Champions
- Can-Am League Game Recaps - Can-Am
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