Panthers shutout by Royals, drop 9th in a row to end July
Posted Aug 2, 2026 08:46:12 AM.
Last Updated Aug 2, 2026 08:46:18 AM.
In a game that was as vital for the 19-14 Royals as the 10-23 Kitchener Panthers, the Royals got the better of a struggling Kitchener side 3-0 to end the month of July.
Kitchener’s Trey Cruz made his Canadian Baseball League debut on the mound for the Panthers. The 26-year-old import from Brandon, Florida would face off against Kyle Thomas, who started his first game of 2026 for the Guelph Royals. The 31-year-old Thomas faced Kitchener for the first time this season, looking for his first outing over three innings.
Both arms made quick work of the first inning, with Trey Cruz going 3 up, 3 down, including a full-count strikeout against Antony Gilbert.
In the bottom of the 2nd, Guelph’s Victor Mascai would blast a hard-hit line ball over the right field fence on just the second pitch of the inning. The solo blast was the 2026 all-star’s 6th of the campaign. Later in the inning, after a double allowed and a strikeout against J.D. Williams, Cruz would walk former Panther Andy Leader after a long 7-pitch at-bat. That would set up Royals catcher Matthew Ward, who grounded a ball past the second baseman to score Guelph’s second run. Ashton Patterson would join the party with a ground-ball in the same spot to score Andy Leader, with Cruz finally striking out Franklin Torres to escape the inning.
Throughout most of the season, a 3-run deficit would not be much to overcome for a Kitchener Panthers offense that was arguably the league’s most consistent through the first two months. However Saturday, the Panthers just could not get past the Royals bullpen.
Starting pitcher Kyle Thomas would relinquish the mound after going 4 innings allowing no runs and 4 hits. Then Brandon Deans would take the mound, making his second appearance in consecutive games after pitching in Brantford on July 31. He pitched 3 more scoreless innings, only allowing a hit each to Malik WIlliams and Trent Lawson in the 6th. Gleyvin Pineda would enter the game in the 8th, allowing just one hit, before Kevin Escorcia came in into the 9th inning. Escorcia would allow Kitchener’s only walk of the game to Mateo Zeppieri and hit Zane Skansi with a pitch to open the door for the Panthers. However, he would strikeout the final two Kitchener batters to record his 6th save of the season, and complete the shutout for Guelph.
Canadian Baseball League Standings prior to August 2, Courtesy of CBL Website
The shutout is the Panthers’ first of the season, and drops them to a 10-24 record with their 9th straight loss. The Royals win their 20th game of the season and extend their lead above the playoff cut line to 8.5 games.
The Panthers’ 4-game road trip continues with a trip to Chatham-Kent to take on the struggling Barnstormers on Tuesday. First pitch at Fergie Jenkins Field in Chatham goes Tuesday, August 4 at 7:35 p.m.
You can get your tickets to all Kitchener Panthers home contests at the ticket portal on their website.
