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.