The Maple City Brewers battled themselves all day in Port Lambton on Sunday. Despite strong pitching from Joel Smith (2-0), the Brewers could not pull out a victory with a make-shift lineup, succumbing to Port Lambton 5-4 in extra innings. There were 10 players missing from their 19 man roster, meaning all hands on deck, as many players were playing out of position.

Port Lambton opened the scoring in the first inning plating a run on a walk, stolen base, advanced to third on a throwing error, and then an RBI single. They also plated unearned runs in the third and fifth inning, opening up a 3-0 lead. 

Maple City looked flat from the start of the game, lethargic from a long day in Harrow on Saturday and downcast by the lack of players that were available for the game.

However, in the fifth inning the Brewers started to put some hits together. Joel Smith started the rally with a single to left field and advanced to second when the left fielder misplayed the ball. Dave Smith (RF) singled to left and Joey Hewak (SS) also singled to left, cashing in Joel Smith. Brandyn Broadwood (1B) then had the play of the day. With men on first and second Broadwood, hitting clean-up, laid down an attempted sac bunt down the third base line that went for a hit. The third baseman threw wildly to first allowing Dave Smith to score and Hewak to scamper to third. Hewak then scored on Greg Sinclair's (C) sac fly, knotting the score at 3-3.

In the top of the sixth inning, Maple City took the lead, courtesy of a Joel Smith RBI single that brought in Joe Wright (2B) who had walked and stole second base. That would be all the Brewers would get in that inning, and went to the bottom of the sixth clinging to a precarious one run lead.

Joey Hewak took over on the mound in the sixth, and the Pirates subsequently tied the game at 4, without the benefit of a hit. They brought home a run via four walks, two wild pitches, and two stolen bases. With the bases loaded and one out, a sharp ground ball to second base was turned into a nifty 4-6-3 double play by Joel Smith (2B), Joe Wright (SS), and finished with a terrific scoop by Broadwood at first, to avoid anymore damage.

Both teams failed to score in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings. The international tie breaking rule was in effect which meant that the top of the eighth inning started with a runner on second base. The Brewers failed to execute a sac bunt and did not score in the inning.

It took only one batter for the Pirates to take the game. With the first and second basemen drawn in to cut the runner down at third, the Pirate's hitter grounded sharply to the left of Joel Smith at second base. Smith dove to his left snagging the grounder, but got up and made an errant throw to third, allowing the runner from second to waltz home as the ball rolled down towards the left field corner. Full box score available.

The Brewers visit Woodslee on Wednesday, in Essex League action, and then come home on Friday with a four game home stand that starts at 7 pm at Fergie Jenkins Field in Chatham.