The Ottawa Fat Cats toyed with danger all game long, but were able to hold off the London Majors for a 5-2 home win and a 3-1 series lead Sunday afternoon in Ottawa
London opened the scoring in the first inning after Cleveland Brownlee hit a two-out double to score centrefielder Chris Stewart.
The Majors threatened again in the fourth by loading the bases with one out, but Ottawa starter Brett Sabourin was able to pitch through it by forcing a fielder's choice at home and getting Stewart to fly out.
Ottawa scored all five of its runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Kyle Barclay and capped off with a bases-loaded walk drawn by leadoff man Cody Mombourquette.
A Steve Froese single loaded the bases for London in the eighth with nobody out, but they were only able to muster a single run before a double play and another Stewart fly-out ended the threat.
Fat Cats closer Danny Desclouds pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the save.
Barclay led Ottawa's offence, going 2-4 with two RBI from the designated hitter slot. LaDale Hayes also went 2-4, bringing down his sizzling playoff batting average to .625.
London's Josh Frederico went 2-3 with a run scored.
Sabourin earned the win, scattering nine hits and six walks over eight innings while striking out seven. London's Mike DeLong didn't escape that fifth inning, giving up five hits and seven walks.
The Fat Cats can clinch the series Monday at 2:05 p.m. at the Ottawa Stadium.
