By Jim Stewart

Mateo Stothers's complete game performance and Jack Larmer's big 2-RBI hit powered the Bolton Brewers to a 4-1 victory over the Creemore Padres 4-1 on Thursday night at North Hill Park.

The Brewers used a pair of two-run innings to subdue the visitors, but Bolton's best performance of the night was on the mound.

Mateo Stothers, in his first year in the North Dufferin Baseball League's Senior Division, delivered a tidy complete game performance for the Brewers. Stothers allowed zero earned runs and walked none over seven innings of work. A product of the Caledon Nationals rep baseball program, Stothers scattered seven hits and struck out four Padres in his quality start.

Brewers' Head Coach Mike Wallace praised his starter's performance.

“Mateo was phenomenal. He was ahead of them all night. He started most of the Creemore hitters at 0-1 and took many to 0-2 to stay in control of the zone. Mateo held them hitless until the fourth inning.”

Coach Wallace delineated the other keys to victory over the Padres.

“It was nice to see us win another way on Thursday in a close game. We've bludgeoned teams this year, but winning the close ones prepares the team for the well-pitched games that we'll see later in the season and in the playoffs.”

He applauded the efforts of both starting pitchers as well as his team's focus on the basepaths.

“Mateo was terrific, but so was Tommy Gateman for the Padres. The game was quick and we were finished before the sun was completely set. Both pitchers were dealing, but a difference maker for us was our baserunning. It's really improved this season. Both our pinch runners scored at the bottom of the fourth on Larmer's big 2-RBI hit.”

Coach Wallace's team got its typical production at the top of the lineup as leadoff hitter Brett Chater and two-spot hitter Ben Sterritt delivered an RBI each in the second inning. Five-spot hitter Jack Larmer's 2 hits and 2 RBI paced Bolton's offence. Chris Falfalios, Logan Hart, Dalton Cooke, and Dan Accardo each scored a run in Bolton's conquest of Creemore.

With the victory over the Padres, the Brewers improved their first-place record to 11-2-0 to stay one point ahead of the second-place Owen Sound Baysox (10-2-1) and two points ahead of the third-place Lisle Astros (9-3-2).

Only seven points separate the Top 7 teams in the 11-team Senior Division.

The Brewers lead the Senior Division in runs scored with 123—averaging 9.4 runs per game.

Bolton hosts the sixth-place New Lowell Knights (6-3-3) on Thursday night. First pitch at North Hill Park will be 7:30 PM.