Welland became the first team to advance to the second round of playoffs following a pair of wins Saturday over Brantford.
Game 1 of the best-of-five series, which was suspended Thursday, resumed Saturday with the top-seeded Jackfish rolling to a 12-4 victory. James Smibert went 3-for-5 with five RBI, while Matteo Porcellato drove in three and scored three times. Caleb Feuerstake went 2-for-4 with two RBI, Hogan Brown had two hits and scored, Ethan Hunt went 2-for-4 with two runs, Steven Moretto singled twice, doubled and scored three times, and Tyler Dupuis drove in a run.
Ben Abram earned the win on the mound, giving up four runs on nine hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out seven.
Christian Kuzemka drove in three for the Red Sox. Matthew Fabian went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run, and Nick Burdett, Cris Ruiz and Gus Wilson had two hits apiece.
Danny Howat took the loss, giving up five runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings. He walked one and struck out one. In Game 3, Brown drove in two on three hits atop the lineup as Welland won 15-3. Carlos Martinez, Smibert and Sam Cawker all drove in two, Dupuis had three hits, two runs and an RBI, Feuerstake drove in a run and scored twice, while Hunt and Porcellato both picked up an RBI. Alberto Guerrero stuck out five over six innings for the win. He yielded three runs on six hits with four walks.
Jeremias Sucre suffered the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits over three innings. He struck out one. Burdett drove in two on a bases-loaded single and Kuzemka had a pair of hits.
PLAYOFFS
SERIES 'A' – WELLAND (1) VS. BRANTFORD (8)
Welland wins series 3-0
Game 1: Welland 12, Brantford 4
Game 2: Welland 7, Brantford 3
Game 3: Welland 14, Brantford 3
SERIES 'B' – KITCHENER (2) VS. LONDON (7)
Kitchener leads series 1-0
Game 1: Suspended in fourth inning
Game 2: Kitchener 6, London 2
Game 3: Sunday, Aug. 27 at Kitchener; 2 p.m.
*Game 4: Tuesday, Aug. 29 at London, 7:35 p.m.
*Game 5: Wednesday, Aug. 30 at Kitchener, 7:30 p.m.
* If necessary
SERIES 'C' – BARRIE (3) VS. HAMILTON (6)
Barrie leads series 2-1
Game 1: Barrie 9, Hamilton 8
Game 2: Hamilton 5, Barrie 1
Game 3: Barrie 12, Hamilton 6
Game 4: Tuesday, Aug. 29 at Hamilton, 7:35 p.m.
*Game 5: Wednesday, Aug. 30 at Barrie, 7:35 p.m.
* If necessary
SERIES ‘D’ – TORONTO (4) VS. GUELPH (5)
Toronto leads series 1-0
Game 1: Suspended in fifth inning
Game 2: Toronto 5, Guelph 3
Game 3: Sunday, Aug. 27 at Toronto, 2 p.m.
*Game 4: Tuesday, Aug. 29 at Guelph, 7:30 p.m.
*Game 5: Wednesday, Aug. 30 at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
* If necessary
