English pitches back-to-back shutouts for Dodgers

June 6, 2016 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte
Following three-straight losses to open the 2016 North Dufferin Baseball League season, the AA Bolton Dodgers have turned it around in dramatic fashion.
Veteran pitcher Shawn English was tagged for six runs in his team’s season opener, an 11-0 beating by the Ivy Leafs. He was not on the mound for the next two games, as the team fell to an 0-3 record, and was looking to return to form against the Creemore Braves.
He followed up with 14 consecutive innings of shut-out baseball, in back-to-back games no less.
The Dodgers were stellar defensively in their second game at North Hill Park of the season, with English and his fielders holding the Braves to just four hits in a 7-0 win. English struck out an astounding 11 batters, while allowing only one walk in a complete game.
With their first win under their belts, English returned to the mound to start against the Alliston Athletics last Wednesday. He won a pitcher’s battle with seven more innings of solid work, with the Dodgers squeaking out a 1-0 win.
The Dodgers ended the week on the road to face the Nobleton Cornhuskers, drawing a 4-4 tie to stretch the unbeaten streak to three games.
They were to put their 2-3-1 record on the line Tuesday against the Aurora Jays (results not known at press time), returning to North Hill Park Wednesday night to host the Creemore Barons.
Their AAA counterpart, the Bolton Brewers, are not yet enjoying the same success in the Greater Toronto Baseball League. They are off to an 0-5 start in their sophomore season, dropping both games of a home-and-away miniseries with the East York Bulldogs last week.
Bolton played the role of host first last Thursday evening at North Hill Park, allowing the Bulldogs to jump out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Brett Chater and Darius Barlas crossed the plate for the Brewers in their half, but the early lead was too much to overcome as the Bulldogs held on the rest of the way.
Chater scored one more run, as well as Brett Bond in the fourth in an eventual 11-4 loss.
Justin DiTaranto was tagged with the loss, having worked the first two innings and given up six runs.
Stan Wadlow Park in East York was the site of the second half of the back-to-back, played Monday evening. The Bulldogs once again jumped out to the lead first and held on for a 6-2 win.
The Brewers will be searching for their first win of the season Thursday against the Leaside Leafs. First pitch is at 7:30 p.m. at North Hill Park.

Shawn English tossed back-to-back shutouts in the Bolton Dodgers’ 7-0 win over the Creemore Braves and 1-0 victory over the Alliston Athletics.
Photo by Jake Courtepatte