Game 40: Postponed - Kitchener Panthers @ Toronto, July 31

Tonight's Kitchener Panthers - Toronto Maple Leafs game at Christie Pits was rained out, shortly after the scheduled 7:30 p.m. start time.

I hope you all take the opportunity to lounge with some fine wine and music tonight.

Here's something to set the mood.  Peace out, my babies.

Game 39: Not the Usual Routine - Barrie Baycats @ Toronto, July 28

If there is one thing that every ballplayer loves - more than cussing, or farting, or swinging at that same seductive pitch he just can't resist - the one thing every ballplayer loves is routine.

By its own nature, baseball is a game of routine.  Three strikes.  Three up, three down.  Nine innings and home.  Game after game.

When the routine is altered, that's when all hell can break loose.  And that has been evident in the past couple of games for Toronto Maple Leafs pitchers.  Making a starter out of the closer may have worked once, but not twice, as we saw in London on Friday night. 

This afternoon at Christie Pits, bringing a starter in to close out a game had a similarly bad outcome.  Sure, a good teammate will put himself in any situation to help.  But ballplayers love their routines...

...Then again, one of the Maple Leafs' relievers started today's game against the Barrie Baycats and he held his own into the 5th inning, so what the hell do I know?

Anyway, as the sun fought an ongoing battle with the clouds high above the Pits this afternoon, the Maple Leafs battled the Barrie Baycats almost to a draw through eight innings, until they came undone at the end.  The 8-3 final score is not indicative of how closely-fought the game was.

Jas Shergill was the starting pitcher for Toronto - their tenth different starter this season.  (Have they shattered the IBL record for starters by now?)  Shergill was "effectively wild" as they say, walking eight batters over 4 1/3 innings, but surrendering only 2 runs.  Adam Garner was solid as always in middle relief, giving up just one run over 3 2/3 innings.  Troy Marks, who has quickly established himself as the ace of the squad, didn't have it as a reliever today.  He gave up 4 hits, 3 walks and 5 runs in the top of the 9th inning.  The Leafs weren't able to respond, and Barrie won the day.

With every club assured of a playoff spot, and Toronto with a firm lock on fifth place, they can afford to experiment with starters and relievers.  Today wasn't a disaster, more like a lesson learned.  Then again, I'm full of pills and alcohol while doing this writeup, so what the hell do I know?


Recap:

Jas Shergill took to the mound for the Toronto Maple Leafs against Chris Kemlo and the Barrie Baycats, but only one starter would make it past the 1st inning.

Shergill allowed a leadoff single to Barrie rightfielder Ryan Spataro, but Spataro got caught leaning too far off first base and was tagged out.  Shergill finished the inning with no damage.

Kemlo struck out centerfielder Glenn Jackson to start the bottom of the 1st, then came out of the game.  He only faced one batter by design, to ensure that he qualifies for postseason.  But I hold by my theory that he suddenly decided that baseball wasn't for him.  Adam Hawes came in to pitch.  He got the next two batters out and it was scoreless after one inning of play.

Shergill pitched scoreless innings in the 2nd and 3rd.  In the bottom of the 3rd with one out, catcher Damon Topolie hit a single to shallow right.  It was fielded quickly by Spataro, and Topolie made a headfirst slide to avoid the tag at first.  The folks on the hillside loved it.  Topolie advanced to second on a putout by second baseman Dan Marra, then scored on a double by Jackson to give the Leafs a 1-0 lead.

Barrie got the run back in the top of the 4th.  Rightfielder Ryan Asis drew a walk, stole second, stole third, then scored when second baseman Jonathan Fernandez hit into a double play.  1-1 after four innings.

Shergill gave up a one-out double to former Maple Leaf Jordan Castaldo in the top of the 5th.  Castaldo stole third, then Shergill hit third baseman Kevin Atkinson with a pitch.  Adam Garner came in to relieve Shergill.  A sac fly by shortstop Jason Coker brought Castaldo in to score and the run was charged to Shergill.  2-1 Barrie after the 5th inning.

Garner and Hawes pitched scoreless innings in the 6th and 7th.  The Leafs made a stellar defensive play in the 7th: With Spataro on third base, DH Kyle DeGrace hit what looked like a sac fly to right field.  However rightfielder Rob Gillis threw a bullet to home, where Topolie made the catch and hung on to the ball despite a collision with Spataro. 

Atkinson hit a one-out triple off Garner in the 8th inning, and scored on a single by Asis that made it 3-1 Baycats.

Another former Maple Leaf, Brett Lawson, came on in the bottom of the 8th and held the Leafs scoreless.

Troy Marks relieved Garner to start the 9th, and got knocked around.  With one out, he gave up two walks and a single to load the bases, then DeGrace drove in two runs with a single.  The next man up was Castaldo, who hit a three-run bomb over the left field fence.  Just like that, five runs were on the board and Barrie had an 8-1 lead.

Shortstop Branfy Arias hit a two run homer to left in the bottom of the 9th, but that was all the scoring that the Leafs could muster and Barrie won with an 8-3 final score.

The Maple Leafs are now 16-20 and they may in fact have clinched fifth place already.  They are five games away from the team above them, and four games away from the team below them.  Overall, they are 15 games behind the Brantford Red Sox.  Half a game separates London, Barrie and Kitchener in the 2-3-4 spots, so the playoff picture is still completely up in the air.

The Leafs' next game is back at Christie Pits on July 31 against the Kitchener Panthers. 

Game 38: Don't Stop Believin' - Maple Leafs @ London, July 26

People come up to me and ask: "Do you think London is a boring city?" and my answer is always: "YES!"

But that doesn't mean there aren't interesting things to do in London.

I rolled into town with my friend early yesterday, well before the Toronto Maple Leafs played the London Majors.

It was a thematic day.  First, we checked out the Museum of Ontario Archaeology.  The museum is home to all the pulse-pounding archaeological action you can ask for, and is built near the site of some of the oldest human dwellings in the area, with recreations on display.

After that, we went to The Poacher's Arms, the oldest pub in London.  The burgers are decent.  I had the Wimpy Burger, topped with mushrooms, cheddar and bacon.  My friend got the Aussie Burger, which is the exact same thing but with a fried egg on top.  Wild.

It was time for baseball, and we moved on to Labatt Memorial Park, the oldest baseball park in the world.

And we watched the worst game ever.

The Maple Leafs got shelled early and often.  In the first five innings, three different pitchers gave up 21 hits and 17 runs.  Meanwhile, the Leafs were no-hit through five.

We got sick of watching, so we snuck into a music festival going on next door.  Journey was headlining.  Friggin Journey!  We rocked out with the locals for a bit, then snuck back into the ballpark.

By then it was late in the game, but the tone had changed completely.  The Leafs were hot.  Someone or something had pissed them off, and they started pounding London pitching.  Branfy Arias hit an enraged home run, and Sean Mattson followed with a blast of his own.  Mattson then took to the mound and shut down the Majors while striking out two. 
Kolossal!

The Leafs went to bat in the 9th to the strains of "Don't Stop Believin'" drifting over the park.  Despite the perfectly timed musical accompaniment, their rally fell short and the Majors won 17-4.  With the post season on the horizon, it was a positive sign to see the Leafs battling to the final out.  Steve Perry, he knows the real score.


Recap:

The London Majors jumped all over the Toronto Maple Leafs from the start of this game.

Justin Cicatello made his second start for the team, but only lasted 1 2/3 innings, getting tagged for seven hits and eight runs - but only three of them earned.

Cicatello was relieved by Adam Garner in the bottom of the 2nd inning.  Over the next 2 1/3 innings, Garner would be roughed up for nine hits and five earned runs. 

Cam Grey came on to start the bottom of the 5th inning, and promptly gave up four runs (three earned) off of five hits.  After 5 innings of play, the score was 17-0 Majors.

Meanwhile, London starter Jordan Townshend no-hit the Leafs through 5.  Raul Borjas finally broke it up in the top of the 6th with a single.  Once the ice was broken and Townshend was relieved by Max Escrogin, the Leafs' bats awakened.

In the top of the 8th, a solo home run by second baseman Branfy Arias got the Leafs on the board.  That was followed by a 3-run homer by third baseman Sean Mattson, who followed that up by coming in to pitch the bottom of the same inning.  Mattson pitched a scoreless inning and struck out two.

Toronto's epic comeback was not to be, as they ran out of outs in the 9th.  The final score was 17-4.

The Maple Leafs are now 16-19 and they remain in fifth place, 14 games behind the Brantford Red Sox.  If the post season began today, their first round opponents would be the Kitchener Panthers. 

Toronto's next game is against the Barrie Baycats at Christie Pits on July 28.

Game 37: Masters of the Unexpected - Maple Leafs @ Brantford, July 24

After all these weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs may have finally hit upon the magic formula: become Masters of the Unexpected.

Last Saturday in Burlington, the team's closer pitched a complete game win.

On Sunday at Christie Pits, two of the team's sluggers launched an assault on the IBL single season home run record.

Last night, the Maple Leafs took to the field in Brantford's Arnold Anderson Stadium with a lineup that looked more spontaneous than strategic.  Rob Gillis at catcher.  Jon Waltenbury at second base.  As far as I know, neither of them has played that position this season.  With several players injured or absent from recent games, it's this spontaneity that seems to have kicked the team into a higher gear.

Overall the starting pitching has improved of late.  Newcomer Troy Marks has become the workhorse of the team in place of some arms that were traded away, or are not available at the moment.  (Marek Deska is currently pitching for Team Polska at the qualifiers of the European Baseball Championships.) 

Marks pitched another gem last night and shut down the Brantford Red Sox scoring machine.  Over seven innings, he allowed only two earned runs while striking out eight.

On the other side, the Maple Leafs pulled a Brantford on Brantford.  They jumped ahead early and knocked several Red Sox pitchers around including starter Jamie Richmond.  As the runs piled up, one frustrated Brantford pitcher after another dropped F-bombs for the whole park to hear.  Family entertainment!

Meanwhile, Toronto performance artist Glenn Jackson got under the skins of local fans who are not accustomed to losing, and who were getting crabbier by the inning.  All game long, he traded barbs, flashed some moves, and got a rise out of onlookers by making gestures that some might describe as "wildly inappropriate."  Family entertainment!

Shit, though - shit like this - it's fun to watch. 

The Leafs beat the Red Sox 10-5 by getting men on base, moving 'em over, and driving 'em in without hitting a single home run.  Who saw that coming?

From one game to the next, we can't predict what will happen anymore.  We can't even predict the lineup.  The Leafs are throwing everybody off, and heating things up at just the right time.


Recap:

Two of the IBL's ace pitchers faced off in Brantford, as Jamie Richmond and the Red Sox hosted Troy Marks and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs got the jump on Richmond in the 1st inning.  Centerfielder Glenn Jackson led off with a double, and Jon Waltenbury followed with a triple to cash in the first run of the game.

Jackson led off the 3rd inning as well, and singled to start things off.  Singles by leftfielder Raul Borjas and first baseman Sean Reilly followed, loading up the bases.  Another single, this time by catcher Rob Gillis, allowed both Jackson and Borjas to score.  3-0 Leafs halfway through the 3rd.

Marks gave up his first hit of the game in the bottom of the 3rd, a single to centerfielder Joe Colameco.  Colameco then stole second during the at bat that eventually saw catcher Wayne Forman draw a walk.  A baserunning error then cost the Red Sox.  Colameco and Forman both started running on a pitch that saw second baseman Jeff Hunt strike out.  Colameco suddenly pulled up and started to return to second - only to see Forman arriving there.  Gillis threw to third baseman Sean Mattson, who applied the tag on Colameco.  Left fielder Josh McCurdy ensured that the inning was not wasted, when he hit a shot that shortstop Dan Marra misplayed for an error.  Forman scored on the play, and it was 3-1 Leafs after the 3rd inning.

Marra made up for his error by leading off the next inning with a single.  A single by Jackson advanced Marra to third, and a single by Borjas brought Marra in to score.  With Jackson now on third, a sac fly by second baseman Jon Waltenbury brought him in too.  5-1 Leafs after 4 innings.

The Red Sox got a run back in the bottom of the 5th.  McCurdy walked and stole second.  Third baseman Hyung Cho then drove him in with a single.  5-2 Leafs.

The Leafs got that run right back in the next inning.  Brandon Huffman relieved Richmond to start the inning.  He gave up a double to Borjas, hit Reilly with a pitch, then gave up another double to Mattson.  Borjas scored, Brantford's coach and trainer came out to the mound, and Huffman came out of the game nursing what appeared to be an injury.  Adam Kudryk came in to finish the inning.  6-2 Leafs.

The Red Sox kept it close in the bottom of the 6th, scoring a run without getting a hit.  Marks walked rightfielder Jason Gotwalt, who then stole second and moved to third on a passed ball.  A sac fly by Forman brought Gotwalt in to score and it was 6-3 after the 6th inning.

The Leafs blew the game open for good in the 7th.  Marra walked to start the inning, then Jackson doubled.  Marra scored on a passed ball, then an error at first base allowed Borjas to reach safely as Jackson scored.  Two more runs on the board, and another Brantford pitcher left the game spewing curses.  Adam Arnold came in next, but he was unable to stop the Leafs' momentum, as Gillis and DH Kevin Hinton hit singles and ran the score up to 10-3.

Meanwhile, Marks pitched another hitless, scoreless inning to run his line to 7 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 8 K.

Franco Pace started the 8th inning for Toronto.  He gave up an RBI single to Gotwalt and loaded the bases before Justin Cicatello came in to shut things down.  10-4 Leafs after the 8th.

Jas Shergill came on in the 9th and also gave up one run before the Red Sox ran out of outs, and the game ended 10-5 in the visitors' favour.  By then, it was past midnight.  For reasons unknown, the Red Sox start their games later than any other club.  This one didn't get going until well after 8:00 p.m.  On a cool evening, fans had started trickling out after each run scored by Toronto, and there was a full-on exodus after the 50-50 draw in the 7th.  There were few people left in the stadium to see the final out, but the familiar assortment of Toronto boosters on hand didn't mind.

The Maple Leafs are now 16-18 and in fifth place, 13 games behind these Red Sox.  Their next game is in London on July 26 against the London Majors.

Game 36: Reilly's Rampage - Guelph Royals @ Toronto, July 21

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Christie nine this day:
The score stood two to nothing, after half an inning's play.

But when Reilly started swinging, many balls went flying out,

And a big win for the Maple Leafs was never once in doubt.

True, the Toronto Maple Leafs got off to their familiar shaky start at home this afternoon, as starter Adam Garner gave up two runs on four consecutive hits by the Guelph Royals.

But then the Leafs scored two in the bottom of the 1st, four in the bottom of the 2nd, and 6 in the bottom of the 3rd, going on a scoring rampage that ended in a 16-4 final score.

Former Royal Sean Reilly led the charge, going 5 for 6 at the plate with three home runs and a Maple Leafs' single-game record 10 RBIs.  He was a triple short of hitting for the cycle.

Another former Royal, Steve Coates also came up big with a 2-run triple, his first of the season.

Glenn Jackson, back from injury following the most recent chapter in his season-long feud with the centerfield fence, was 1 for 3 with 3 walks and an RBI.

Dan Marra and Jon Waltenbury were each good for two hits and an RBI.  One of Waltenbury's hits was a triple of his own.

Reilly and Waltenbury are starting to take on the roles of Maris and Mantle this season, as they both approach the IBL single-season records for home runs (17) and RBIs (57).  Reilly now has 15 and 48, and Waltenbury has 14 and 43.  Both hitters have been on a torrid pace of late, and with nine games still to play this season, it's looking like one or both of these records will be broken.

Not to be overlooked during the air show was another solid start by a Leafs pitcher.  After his 1st inning hiccup, Garner settled down and gave up just four runs through seven innings for the win, while striking out five. 

It was another team victory that gives the Leafs a lock on fifth place in the standings, although their first-round playoff opponent is still anyone's guess.  The Barrie Baycats, Kitchener Panthers and London Majors are separated by just one game in the standings.  The battle for the 2-3-4 spots in the standings could come down to the last day of the season.

Speaking of which, the Leafs and Royals have confirmed that they will end the season with a double-header to be played in Guelph on the Monday of the August long weekend.


Recap:

After retiring the leadoff batter to start the game, Toronto Maple Leafs starter Adam Garner gave up three singles in a row.  Guelph Royals Chaz Pal, Justin Interisano got the first two, and Josh Garton's single scored Pal.  Dan Treccia followed with a double that scored Interisano and it was 2-0 after half an inning.

In the bottom of the 1st, leftfielder Raul Borjas was hit by a pitch from Guelph starter Matt Atkins.  A triple by DH Jon Waltenbury and some shaky fielding by the Royals brought Borjas in to score.  First baseman Sean Reilly then singled to bring in Waltenbury and the score was 2-2 after one inning of play.

Atkins hit rightfielder Steve Coates with a pitch to start the bottom of the 2nd inning.  Walks to centerfielder Glenn Jackson and Waltenbury loaded the bases.  Coates raced home on a wild pitch to give the Leafs the lead, then Reilly blasted a 3-run home run that made it 6-2 Leafs after 2 innings.

The home side piled it on in the bottom of the 3rd.  Catcher Damon Topolie walked, and shortstop Dan Marra doubled.  They both came home on a triple hit by Coates.  A single by Jackson scored Coates.  Borjas was then hit by a pitch for the second time - Atkins' third hit batsman of the day.  Atkins' afternoon ended when Reilly stepped up to the plate and belted another 3-run homer.  Dan McGlynn came on in relief and got the Royals out of the inning, but the score was now 12-2 for Toronto.

Garner continued mowing through the Royals' order, while the Leafs added more runs in the bottom of the 5th.  Waltenbury was hit by a pitch from McGlynn, bringing Reilly back to the plate.  POW!  DEJA VU!  IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING??  Reilly hit his third consecutive home run.  He rounded the bases in his characteristically calm, composed manner, while Toronto's fans and players cheered boisterously at what they had just witnessed. It was 14-2 after the 5th inning.

The Royals finally got to Garner again in the top of the 7th.  Robert Grilli singled, and Interisano hit a home run that made it 14-4.

The Leafs got one back in the bottom of the inning.  Third baseman Sean Mattson drew a walk off Jonathan Palumbo, who had come on in the previous inning.  Second baseman Rob Gillis reached first on an error by Palumbo, then Topolie singled to load the bases.  A fielder's choice putout by Marra allowed Mattson to score, and it was 15-4 after 7 innings.

Cam Grey relieved Garner and pitched a scoreless 8th.

Jackson led off the bottom of the 8th with a walk, then moved to second on a putout by Waltenbury.  Reilly then hit a double that scored Jackson.  It was Reilly's tenth RBI of the game, a Maple Leafs' record.  16-4 Leafs.

Troy Marks came on to pitch the 9th inning, and he shut down the Royals to clinch the win for Garner and a 16-4 final.

The Maple Leafs are now 15-18 and in fifth place, 14 games behind the Brantford Red Sox.  Their next game will be in Brantford on July 24.

Game 35: Legends of the Game - Maple Leafs @ Burlington, July 20

What is it that keeps us coming back to the game, we simple folk who come to merely spectate?  It's the knowledge that once in a while - while sitting on an ass-numbing bench, and eating unhealthy food, and getting sunburned - once in a while, we will witness a memorable game, maybe even an amazing one.

Such a game was played today at Nelson Park in Burlington.

Before the game even began, something was up.  The Burlington announcer read out the Toronto Maple Leafs' starting lineup, and when he got to the number nine spot in the order, he said: "Batting ninth, the pitcher, Justin Cicatello."

What??  Why was the pitcher batting?  And why was Cicatello - the club's late innings specialist - starting the game?  I looked over to the Maple Leafs' bench.  It was badly depleted.  Several regulars were missing, and not many pitchers were there.

So whether by choice or by sheer necessity, the Leafs' closer was starting the game - their ninth different starter this season.

Another player starting the game, most likely by sheer necessity, was Branfy Arias.  There's no way this man should be out there playing.  His right leg is injured, and has been for at least a couple of weeks.  He appeared to hurt himself while fielding a grounder in Hamilton back on July 5th.  But who knows, he may have been hurt before that.  Or, by continuing to play, he's preventing the injury from healing.  It's painful just watching him hobble around.  Player-Manager Damon Topolie moved Arias from shortstop to left field for this game, to reduce some of the stress and strain on his leg.

And so, with a patchwork starting lineup, the Maple Leafs took to the field against the Burlington Bandits - and destroyed them.  Don't be fooled by the 10-9 final score.  The Leafs roared out to an early lead thanks to a home run derby put on by the usual suspects: Sean Reilly, Jon Waltenbury, Sean Mattson, and also Topolie.  Burlington scratched and scuffled their way back into the game, but Cicatello held them off, and Arias hit an epic home run that proved to be the game winner.

Cicatello's final stat line was a thing of madness.  He threw 192 pitches and a complete game.  He hit three batsmen and walked eight.  Yet for all that, he gave up one run fewer than four Burlington pitchers combined.  In between innings, he would quietly return to the team bench, sit down beside a cooler filled with ice water, and immerse his throwing arm up to the armpit until it was time to go pitch again.

As for Arias, the team trainer plied him with shots of tequila and laughing gas to deaden the pain - or at least keep him from passing out between innings.  Anything to keep him conscious, and it worked.  Arias played like a man possessed.  He chased down fly balls, he barreled home from third to score on a passed ball, and in the 8th inning he hit the home run that sealed the win for the Leafs.

As he gimped around the bases with his teammates going wild, it brought to mind another classic home run:

Arias and Cicatello: two legends of the game, two legendary performances.  My horribly sunburned legs were so worth it today.


Recap:

It was a scorcher at Nelson Park as the Burlington Bandits welcomed the Toronto Maple Leafs for an afternoon contest.

Starters Jack Dennis (Bandits) and Justin Cicatello (Maple Leafs) traded scoreless innings to start the game.  It all seemed so quaint, then the scoring began.

Leafs' first baseman Sean Reilly and third baseman Sean Mattson each hit a solo home run in the top of the 2nd inning.

The Bandits got one back in the bottom of the 2nd.  Catcher Nick Studer got Burlington's first hit of the game with a single.  Connor Panas followed with a single of his own, moving Studer to third.  A sac fly by Daniel Peake scored Studer, and it was 2-1 Leafs after the 2nd inning.

Leftfielder Branfy Arias led off the 3rd with a single.  Rightfielder Jon Waltenbury then hit a 2-run homer that made it 4-1 Leafs after the 3rd.

The home run derby continued in the next inning, as catcher Damon Topolie led off with a solo homer.

The Bandits got a couple back in the bottom of the inning, as Studer, Panas and Peake his three singles in a row.  Peake's hit was good for two runs and it was 5-3 Leafs after the 4th inning.

The top of the 5th was an adventure for Arias. He led off with a single, then moved to second on a single by shortstop Dan Marra.  A flyball out to centerfield by Waltenbury moved Arias to third.  Then barreled home to score on a passed ball - all with a gimpy leg - and it was 6-3 Leafs after 5 innings of play.

Second baseman Rob Gillis led off the top of the 6th with a single.  Dennis then walked centerfielder Steve Coates.  Gillis then advanced to third, and scored on a sac fly by the starting pitcher, Justin Cicatello.  7-3 Leafs.

Cicatello's Excellent Adventure almost derailed in the bottom of the inning, when he suddenly ran out of gas.  He walked five batters and gave up four runs as the Bandits batted around and tied the game 7-7 after 6 innings of play.

Evan DiMichele relieved Dennis to start the 7th, and he gave up a two-run homer to Reilly.  It was Reilly's second round-tripper of the game and gave him three RBIs on the day.  9-7 Leafs.

Burlington kept at it, as Cicatello went out to start the bottom of the 7th.  He hit shortstop Levi Larmour with a pitch, and Larmour was eventually driven home on a single by rightfielder Darryl Pui.  But Cicatello had got his second wind and got out of trouble.  It was 9-8 Leafs after the 7th inning.

Michael Vanderlaan came on in relief to start the 8th, and the first batter he faced was Arias.  A battle ensued, and it went like this: "Ball, Foul, Foul, Ball, Foul, Ball, 2 Branfy Arias Scores Earned (home run)".  Arias had knocked one over the fence, and he had to limp around the bases with an injured leg.  10-8 Leafs.

Cicatello shocked many by coming out to pitch yet another inning.  The Bandits got one more run off him and it was 10-9 going into the 9th.

The Leafs we unable to score in their half of the inning, and it came down to the final three outs.  Amazingly, Toronto's closer came out to attempt the complete game.  He got a groundout and a flyball out right away, and Burlington were down to their last three strikes.  Cicatello then gave up a single to Pui, and a single to leftfielder Peter Bako.  Pui moved to third on the hit, and Bako ended up taking second.  With two runners in scoring position, Cicatello got late inning replacement Phil Steer to ground into a 5-3 putout, and the Leafs hung on to win 10-9 on Cicatello's amazing performance, and Arias' amazing Kirk-Gibson-esque home run.

The Maple Leafs are now 14-18 and securely in fifth place, 15 games behind the Brantford Red Sox.  Their next game is at Christie Pits on July 21 against the Guelph Royals.

Game 34: Eaten Alive - Maple Leafs @ Barrie, July 18

I was a proper mess driving home from Barrie last night.* 

Between the oppressive humidity at Schmidt & Shaw Stadium, the plague of mosquitos that descended on the park after sundown, and the horrendous final score, it was an appalling night of baseball.  I was disappointed and physically battered - my soggy hat clinging to my head, arms and legs burning from mosquito bites, face and neck greasy with sweat, throat dry, ass wet, feet sore.  Proper mess.

The tone of the game was set in the first inning.  The Maple Leafs went down quickly in the top of, then gave up four runs to fall into a seemingly bottomless hole.  The rest of the game was a demolition job by the Barrie Baycats.  They rocked every pitcher the Leafs put on the mound and shut down Toronto's bats for a 16-4 win.

Having left in disgust after 6 innings, I drove back down the 400 with the stereo blaring, my head stuck out the window, howling at the moon.**

What else are you gonna do?

I started composing a poem in my mind.  I came up with a fantastic title for it: "Bart Giamatti's Inferno."  It was a searing composition, borne from the disappointments of the night.  An anthem for the anguished fan.  Something that, once posted online, would make the rounds of the Internet and become a lasting sensation.

Much of it was forgotten by the time I got home, since I didn't write any of it down, or text myself, or call home and dictate it over the phone.***

It wasn't a completely rotten night.  Prior to the game, there was an onfield march by army, air and sea cadets from the training centre at nearby CFB Borden.  Have you ever seen 40,000 cadets on parade?  There were considerably fewer at the ballpark this night, but it was still an impressive show.

I have always liked coming to games in Barrie.  The ballpark is one of the nicest in the league, the stands are always packed with lively fans and the concessions are good.  A few innings into the game, a huge golden sunset filled the horizon and cast its rays through the tall conifers outside the playing field, a brilliant image of northern baseball.  So yeah, there was that.

The Leafs have a chance to turn things around this weekend, with games against cellar-dwellers Burlington and Guelph.  If they want to go far in the post-season this year, this digging of holes early in games has to end, or that poem may end up getting written on some other dark night.

* But fully sober - not intoxicated, medicated or impaired in any way.
** While driving attentively and at or below the posted speed limit.
*** Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel.


Recap:

You know it might be a lopsided affair when one club goes down in order to start the game, while the other sends nine men to the plate.  This was the case as the Toronto Maple Leafs visited the Barrie Baycats last night.

Barrie starter Adam Rowe started with a quick 1-2-3 inning, but his counterpart Franco Pace got into trouble early.  He was tagged for five hits and four runs as the Baycats jumped to an early lead.

In the top of the 2nd, the Leafs loaded the bases with a single, walk and single.  Centerfielder Steve Coates grounded into a 5-3 putout that allowed leftfielder Sean Reilly to come home from third and it was 4-1 Baycats after the 2nd inning.

The Leafs made it a close game in the 3rd.  Rightfielder Rob Gillis singled and DH Jon Waltenbury doubled.  Reilly then drove in Gillis with a 4-3 putout that moved Waltenbury to third.  Third baseman Sean Mattson walked, and first baseman Will Richards was safe at first on an error by Baycats first baseman Jordan Castaldo.  Waltenbury scored on the error and it was 4-3 Leafs midway through the 3rd.

The Baycats bounced back in the bottom of the inning.  Shortstop Jason Coker walked, then advanced to third base on a hit by leftfielder Ryan Asis.  Coker scored on a sac fly by DH Brandon Dhue and Asis moved to third.  Asis then scored on a putout at first by Baycats second baseman Jonathan Fernandez.  6-3 Baycats after the 3rd inning.

Dhue drove in another run in the bottom of the 4th to make it 7-3 Baycats.

Rowe was masterful on the mound in the 5th, striking out Reilly, Mattson and Richards in order.  Marek Deska relieved Pace in the 5th, and he also pitched a hitless inning (not counting the pitch where he hit Baycats catcher Kyle DeGrace, but no harm done).

Going into the 6th inning, the game still felt close.  The Leafs scored another run as second baseman Dan Marra, shortstop Branfy Arias and Gillis each singled.  Marra scored on Gillis' hit and it was 7-4 Baycats.

But the game was blown open for good in the bottom of the 6th.  The Baycats again sent nine men to the plate, and Deska and Jas Shergill gave up five hits and five runs combined.  Suddenly it was 12-4 for the home side.  By then, certain observers had fled the park, driven away by the scoreline and sick of being eaten alive by the mosquitos.

The Baycats piled it on in the 8th inning.  Rightfielder Ryan Spataro drove in a run, and Castaldo hit a 3-RBI double that made it 16-4.  The Leafs went down in order in the 9th.

The Leafs are now 13-18, and 15.5 games behind the Brantford Red Sox.  Their next game is in Burlington on July 20, against the Burlington Bandits.