Leafs Grind One Out in the Hammer

Game 8: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Hamilton Cardinals - May 30, 2014

The Hamilton Cardinals ran up leads of 4-1 and 8-4 in the early going of their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Bernie Arbour Stadium last night, but the Leafs relied on some stellar relief pitching and a huge output from the bottom of the order to grind out a 10-8 win.

The Leafs smashed a bottle and fought their way out of this ambush.  Wins like these are exhilarating to watch.

Damon Topolie, Tyler Mitchell (above) and Dan Marra batted 7-8-9 in the order and combined for 7 hits and 8 RBIs.

Dan Procopio, Christian Botter and Justin Cicatello pitched the final 6.2 innings of the game and combined to give up just two hits while striking out 12.

They came to the rescue of Adam Garner, who got jumped by the Cardinals for 7 hits and 8 runs (7 earned) in just 2.1 innings of work.  It was tough to watch because normally I love watching Garner pitch.  His delivery is all flying limbs and swooping motions.  At one point during his release, his head dips below 2/3 of the rest of his body.  Watching Garner pitch is like watching a crane take flight.

But the crane got swarmed by some angry redbirds and exited early.  The relief corps picked him up and the Leafs' bats slowly battled back to retake the lead and add a late insurance run.

A stellar play by Damon Topolie - catching a laser shot and doubling off a baserunner at first - ended the game and sealed the win in style.


Game Recap:

As the setting sun lit up the field at Bernie Arbour Stadium in Hamilton, the Toronto Maple Leafs jumped to an early lead against the host Cardinals.  Centerfielder Glenn Jackson led off with a single and moved to second before the ball could be returned to the infield.  Rightfielder Grant Tamane and DH Jon Waltenbury each hit into fielder's choices to move Jackson around to score the first run of the game.

The early lead was short-lived as Hamilton sent eight men to the plate in the bottom of the 1st against Adam Garner.  The Leafs' starter was tagged for three hits and a walk and the Cardinals led 4-1 after one inning.

The Leafs hit back against starter Brett van Pelt the top of the 2nd.  Toronto's infielders got four hits in a row to tie the game.  It went like this: third baseman Sean Mattson (double); first baseman Damon Topolie (double, Mattson scores); shortstop Tyler Mitchell (double, Topolie scores); second baseman Dan Marra (single, Mitchell scores).  After that rally, it was a 4-4 game.

Garner pitched a perfect 2nd, but got knocked out in the 3rd.  Hamilton got its own rally going, and it went like this: centerfielder Dre Celestijn (double); DH Daniel Jagdeo (double; Celestijn scores); leftfielder Jon Saporsantos (single, Jagdeo to third).  Garner struck out the next batter, but then gave up a three-run home run to catcher Zack Sardellitti that made it 8-4 Cardinals after the 3rd inning.

It remained that way until the top of the 6th.  Mattson drew a walk and Topolie singled, then Marra hit a 2-RBI double that made it 8-6.

Van Pelt was relieved by Tim Krawczyk to start the 7th, and the Leafs went back to work.  DH Jon Waltenbury drew a walk, then leftfielder Raul Borjas hit a single.  With one out, Mattson reached first base on a fielding error and Waltenbury came around to score.  Borjas scored next on a ground out by Topolie that tied the game.  Mitchell walked next, and the Leafs went ahead on another hit by Marra that scored Mattson and gave the Leafs a 9-8 lead.

Pitchers Dan Procopio and Christian Botter relieved Garner in the middle innings of the game.  Procopio was untouchable - he struck out six of the nine batters he faced - and Bottle followed with a perfect 6th inning.  Leafs closer Justin Cicatello took over for the final three innings.

The Leafs added an insurance run in the top of the 9th, as Mitchell drove in another run and Mattson scored his fourth of the game.

The Cardinals started a rally in the bottom of the 9th.  Pinch hitter Kyle Gappa singled and shortstop Chris Beer was hit by a Cicatello pitch.  However the next batter flied out, and Topolie made an unassisted double play at first on a liner by Celestijn to end the game 10-8.


Toronto 10-12-1
Hamilton 8-9-5

W - Botter (1-0)
L - Krawczyk (0-1)
S - Cicatello (2)

BOXSCORE

The Maple Leafs are now 5-3 and 2 games behind the 6-0 Barrie Baycats.  Their next game is home at Christie Pits against these same Redbirds on June 1.

Wednesday Night Slam

Game 7: Kitchener Panthers @ Toronto Maple Leafs, May 28, 2014

Like a couple of heavyweights cracking roundhouses off each other's jaws, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Kitchener Panthers fought a battle for the ages at Christie Pits last night.

When it was all over, there was nothing left to do but step carefully around the broken teeth and pools of blood and wander dazedly into the night, replaying the scenes in one's fevered mind.

The game began as most games do when Sean Reilly is involved - with a devastated baseball screaming over the left field fence.  Reilly struck in the first inning, blasting a James Trebus pitch for a 3-run homer.  (Fortunately, a late-afternoon yoga class had packed up and left the park just before someone took a Reilly home run ball off the ass.) 

He struck again with a solo dinger in the 3rd, leading some to wonder why clubs don't just take the bat out of his hands and walk him every time.

After watching the Panthers run up a 5-1 score, it was the Leafs' turn to storm the scoreboard in the 7th inning.  They sent 10 men to the plate and scored four runs, three of them coming thanks to home runs by Tony Alvarez and Sean Mattson.

By that point the game had evolved into a battle of the bullpens.  Kitchener starter Kyle McKay had been dominant, striking out 11 while limiting the Leafs to one run through 6 innings.  Four Kitchener pitchers would follow him.

Jas Shergill pitched the 6th and 7th for Toronto.  Justin Lawrence took over after that and pitched four innings, striking out six.

The score remained tied 5-5 through the 8th and 9th innings.  An attempted rally by Kitchener in the 10th was snuffed out by a couple of nice defensive plays by Darryl Pui and Grant Tamane - who gunned down a runner at home plate.  The Panthers were just as quick to stomp on a budding Leafs' rally in the bottom of the inning.

The game was decided in the 11th, when Lawrence got into a jam and gave up a grand slam to Mike Glinka.

It took almost four hours for this slugfest to be played.  The temperature cooled down and the thin crowed got thinner after each inning.  Still plenty of crazies on hand to cheer and chatter and get under people's skin.  No game at the Pits would be complete without them.  You get the sense that some of these folks would still show up during a freak blizzard or a flood.

The Leafs ended up with 14 hits to the Panthers' 13.  Alvarez was the offensive star with two hits including a home run and a pair of RBIs.  Glenn Jackson, Jon Waltenbury, Damon Topolie and Darryl Pui each got two hits as well.  Five errors by Toronto contributed to their downfall this night.


Game Recap:

James Trebus made his third start of the season for the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Kitchener Panthers got to Trebus early, tagging him for a walk and three hits including a 3-run home run by DH Sean Reilly.

Toronto responded with a run in the bottom of the inning.  DH Jon Waltenbury hit a two-out single.  Kitchener starter Kyle McKay then walked catcher Tony Alvarez and third baseman Sean Mattson to load the bases.  First baseman Damon Topolie drew another walk and Waltenbury trotted in to score.  3-1 visitors after one inning.

Reilly struck again with a solo home run in the 3^rd inning to make it 4-1 Panthers, but both starters settled down after that.

Jas Shergill took over from Trebus to start the 6^th.  A couple of fielding errors and a single by centerfielder Tanner Nivins allowed another run to cross the plate, making it 5-1 Kitchener after six.

Matt Cockburn took over from McKay to start the 7^th, and was promptly ambushed.  Alvarez hit a two-run homer, and Mattson followed with a solo shot that knocked Cockburn out of the game.  Joey Paulin proceeded to load the bases and leftfielder Grant Tamane hit an RBI single to make it a 5-5 game after seven.

Justin Lawrence came in to pitch for Toronto in the 8^th and held Kitchener scoreless for three innings.  In the top of the 11^th, the Panthers loaded the bases and shortstop Mike Glinka delivered the fatal blow – a grand slam over the right field fence.  It was 9-5 Panthers and that would be the final score in 11 innings.

 

Kitchener 9-13-0

Toronto 5-14-5

(11 innings)

 

W - Luxton (1-1)

L - Lawrence (2-1) 

BOXSCORE
 

 

The Leafs are now 4-3 on the season, a couple of games behind the still-undefeated Barrie Baycats.  They head to Hamilton next, to play the Cardinals on May 30.



 

The Big Inning and the End

Game 6: Guelph Royals @ Toronto Maple Leafs - May 25, 2014

Odd game, this one.

The Toronto Maple Leafs took to the field at Christie Pits this afternoon and roared out to a nice early lead against the Guelph Royals.

The Leafs started the game by hitting and running and stealing and most importantly they were scoring -- running up a 5-1 score after four innings.

Starter Marek Deska (above) limited the Royals to three hits over that span.  He also made a fantastic defensive play in the 3rd -- catching a laser shot that was hit right back at him and doubling off a baserunner at first.

Everything was clicking.  The game began under warm, sunny skies and sun worshippers sprawled all over the Christie hillside.  The usual assortment of crazies was in full throat.  Children and dogs frolicked, photographers clicked away merrily. 

It looked like the home fans would be treated to a great afternoon and a comfy win.  Down on the field, the Leafs were bossing it.

Everybody on board the monkey car!

...until WHAMMO.  The car hit a wall.

In the top of the 5th, the Royals struck with the proverbial Big Inning.  They tagged Deska for six runs and took the lead.  The Leafs couldn't buy a run after that.  The Royals seized control of the game and sealed an 8-5 win.  Damme!

It all started so well.  Jon Waltenbury returned to Christie Pits for his first home game since serving out a suspension to begin the season.  In the first half of the game, he racked up a double, RBI and stolen base.  In the second half of the game, he broke two bats, both for naught.  It was that kind of day.

The last bit of flash shown by the Leafs came in the 7th inning.  A grounder was hit back to the mound.  One-handed relief pitcher Jake Hines gloved the ball, made a lightning-fast transfer, threw to second, and watched Jalen Harris and Damon Topolie turn a double play.  Hines' play earned a round of applause, including from the Guelph bench.


Game Recap:

The Guelph Royals got on the board in the 1st inning of this game.  Left fielder Bruce Yari singled and moved to third on a double by third baseman Shaun Valeriote.  Yari scored when first baseman Josh Garton hit a fielder's choice and the Royals went up 1-0.

The Toronto Maple Leafs responded with two runs in the bottom of the 1st.  Singles by centerfielder Glenn Jackson and second baseman Dan Marra were followed by a double by DH Jon Waltenbury.  Jackson scored to tie the game.  Marra scored next, on a ground out by third baseman Sean Mattson.  2-1 Leafs after one inning.

The Leafs added three runs in the bottom of the 4th.  Left fielder Raul Borjas led off with a double, then came home on a single by first baseman Damon Topolie.  A single by shortstop Jalen Harris and a fielder's choice by right fielder Justin Gianfrancesco moved Topolie to third.  Topolie went on to score when third baseman Valeriote misplayed a hit by Jackson for an error.  That put Harris on third and Jackson on first.  Jackson promptly stole second base, then moved to third and Harris scored on a throwing error by catcher Justin Interisano.  5-1 Leafs after the 4th.

Starting pitcher Marek Deska cruised through the first four innings, giving up one run on three hits.  The 5th inning was his undoing.  He gave up three hits and a walk to plate one runner, hit a batter with the bases loaded to plate another, and gave up another hit that scored two more.  Deska was relived by Christian Botnick, but Botnick gave up a hit that scored two more of Deska's baserunners.  In all, Deska was tagged for 7 earned runs on the day.

Botnick was responsible for one more run -- scored on a sac fly off pitcher Cam Grey -- in the 6th inning. 

After that, Guelph reliver Zach Pearson came in to relieve starter Bryan Boudreau.  Pearson kept the Leafs from scoring and earned a three-inning save.  The final score was 8-5 for the Royals.

Guelph 8-13-4
Toronto 5-13-2

W - Boudreau (1-0)
L - Deska (1-1)
S - Pearson (1)

BOXSCORE


The Maple Leafs are now 4-2 and in second place, 1.5 games behind the still-undefeated Barrie Baycats.  Their next game is against the Kitchener Panthers on May 28 - the first night game at the Pits this season.

Excellence in Extras

Game 5: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Brantford Red Sox - May 24, 2014

The Toronto Maple Leafs added another stroke in the win column today at Arnold Anderson Stadium in Brantford.

Lame headline yeah, but I've not got much to work with.  The club just tweeted:

Leafs win 3-1 in 11 innings to spoil @OfficialRedSox home opener. Host @GuelphRoyals Sunday 2 pm and its East Side Marios day at ballpark

I'll post a link to the boxscore once it they get it up on the ol' Pointstreak.

The Leafs are now 4-1 on the season, half a game behind the undefeated Barrie Baycats.

Their next game is May 25 against the Guelph Royals, back home at Christie Pits. 

Blown Out in Barrie

Game 4: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Barrie Baycats - May 22, 2014

The Toronto Maple Leafs' dreams of a perfect season were dashed on the forbidding shores of Lake Simcoe last night, as the Barrie Baycats exploded for 10 runs at Schmidt & Shaw Stadium.  The 10-1 final was the first "L" for the Leafs, while moving the Baycats to 3-0.

Glenn Jackson acknowledged that the team was never going to win 36 games - and so they won't - but it's the battle that's important.

Despite the lopsided score, the Leafs refused to fold and make it a short night.  They kept at it and managed to break up the shutout. 

It was a breezy evening in Barrie and the temperature dropped steadily once the sun had set.  The first half of the game was a pitchers' duel.  Starters James Trebus and Chris Kemlo traded goose eggs through four innings.  Trebus loaded the bases in the bottom of the 5th, and Barrie's Kevin Atkinson hit a grand slam into the evergreens beyond the left field fence.  Jordan Castaldo (above) added a two-run homer in the 6th, and Barrie piled on more runs late.

By then, I was already blasting back down the 400.  Barrie has a beautiful ballpark, but it's not one where you want to hang around too long.  If it isn't the cold nights early in the season, it's the mosquito infestations in mid-summer.  The crowd is enthusiastic and the food is good, but the souvenir shop is shit. 

The Leafs do not return there until mid-July.  These teams currently sit atop the IBL standings, separated by a half-game.  It has been a wonky start to the season.  Three weeks in, Toronto has a 3-1 record, Kitchener has already played (and lost) five games, but Brantford and Hamilton have yet to complete a game.

Speaking of Brantford, the Leafs head there next for another early-season test of strength.  Hopefully last night's result was a minor blip and they can annihilate the defending champions on Saturday.


Game Recap:

Toronto's James Trebus and Barrie's Chris Kemlo engaged in a pitchers' duel to start this game, neither man surrendering a hit until the 3rd inning.

In the bottom of the 5th, Trebus got into a jam.  He gave up a walk, single, and walk to load the bases.  Barrie third baseman Kevin Atkinson hit a grand slam to break the deadlock and make it a 4-0 game after five innings.

Cam Gray came in to pitch the bottom of the 6th, and Barrie got to him too.  Catcher Kyle DeGrace knocked in a run, and first baseman Jordan Castaldo hit a two-run homer to stretch the home lead to 7-0 after six innings.

The Leafs got a rally going in the 7th.  Third baseman Sean Mattson and first baseman Damon Topolie each singled, and Mattson scored on an error.  In total, the Leafs managed five hits while surrendering 10 to the Baycats.

Barrie added three more runs off of reliever Jake Hines in the bottom of the 8th, and sealed a 10-1 final score.

Toronto 1-5-1
Barrie 10-10-2

W - Kemlo (1-0)
L - Trebus (0-1)

BOXSCORE


Toronto's next game is at Brantford against the defending 6-time IBL champion Red Sox, on May 24.

Alvarez Kicks the Door Open, Cicatello Slams it Shut

Game 3: London Majors @ Toronto Maple Leafs - May 18, 2014

Doors Open Toronto -- the annual urban exploration thing -- doesn't happen here until next weekend, but the Toronto Maple Leafs were slamming doors open and shut all day en route to a 5-3 victory over the London Majors.

It was a mostly cloudy afternoon at Christie Pits, and the clusters of fans scattered around the park found themselves hassled by occasional sprays of drizzle as the game was played.

The home side struck early, as newcomer Tony Alvarez (above) blasted a three-run homer in the 1st inning.

On the back of five scoreless innings spun by starter Marek Deska, the Leafs carried a 5-0 lead into the 8th, when London finally got on the board with three runs.

Justin Cicatello, last year's revelation, came in to slam the door shut with a scoreless 9th and the Leafs were home and dry with their third win to start the 2014 season.

So far, the Leafs have approached each game with an evident sense of purpose.  Focused, businesslike... what else can I use here?  Driven, relentless, unassailable?  That might be over the top.  It's early days.  I'm still feeling my way back into this, and I'm prone to the odd misplay.  Kind of like when one of Toronto's relief pitchers warmed up today, took the mound, found out his name wasn't on the scorecard, and was ushered back off the field.  Woops.  Early days.


Game Recap:

Blow winds, howl!

Actually, there was not so much wind today, but plenty of pesky grey clouds that rolled above Christie Pits, dropping intermittent drizzle on the usual assemblage of diehards, curiosity seekers, attentive scorekeepers, pensioners, hipsters, children, dogs, families, loners, casual viewers and the dangerously unbalanced.

Toronto Maple Leafs starting pitcher Marek Deska took the ball with purpose.  He pitched a scoreless opening half, then watched as his opposite - Cory Hammond of the London Majors - pitched himself into an early jam.  Hammond gave up singles to second baseman Dan Marra and leftfielder Raul Borjas.  After striking out third baseman Sean Mattson, he faced catcher Tony Alvarez.  New to the club and off to a slow start, Alvarez watched a strike and a ball go by, then blasted the third pitch he saw over the left field fence. 3-0 Leafs after one.

The Leafs added another run in the bottom of the 2nd.  With one out, shortstop Zach Lampreia walked.  Later, with two out, Lampreia was driven in by centerfielder Glenn Jackson, who ended up on second base with his 4th RBI of the season. 4-0 Leafs after 2 innings.

The closest London got to scoring early was a big flyball that was launched by first baseman Cleveland Brownlee in the 4th.  The ball sailed towards the fence in right.  With Jackson guiding him ("YOU GOT ROOM, YOU GOT ROOM,") rightfielder Darryl Pui drifted back, back, back. The next sound that was heard was the ball landing in Pui's glove, followed by Pui bumping against the chain link fence with a jingle.  Does someone jingle against a chain link fence?  It wasn't a thud, to be sure.  Anyway, threat extinguished.

Deska pitched 1-2-3 innings in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th.  He completely shut down the Majors, leaving the game after 5 with a line of 2H, 0R, 1BB, 4K, and an ERA of 1.50.

Things got complicated after that.

James Trebus warmed up in the Toronto pen, then went out to the mound after the Leafs ended their half of the 5th inning.  He was introduced as the new pitcher (Cam Gray, according to the announcer), but the Majors quickly hailed the umpire for a conference.  Trebus was not on the day's scorecard, and was thus ineligible to pitch.  Player-manager Derek Topolie unleashed a four-letter oath as Trebus walked back off the field.

Enter Adam Garner, emergency reliever for the second time in three games.

Not to worry, as Garner pitched Toronto's fourth straight 1-2-3 inning.

The Leafs added a run in the bottom of the 6th.  Borjas walked and reached second on a wild pitch, then came home on a single by Alvarez that made it 5-0 for the home side.

The Majors faced Jake Hines in the top of the 7th.  Despite loading the bases on 2 HBPs and a single, Hines got through the inning without surrendering a run.

Toronto's next pitcher, Justin Lawrence, was not so lucky.  Pitching in the top of the 8th, Lawrence gave up two hits, a walk and two wild pitches that combined to bring three runs across for London.  It was now 5-3 after 8 innings and a save situation that called for Toronto's stud closer.

Justin Cicatello gave up a single to London catcher Derrik Strzalkowski to start the 9th.  Cicatello then struck out two batters in a row, and the game ended on an easy ground out by London, who ended the day with 6 hits and an error, same as Toronto.  The difference was the insurance run produced by Glenn Jackson way back in the 2nd inning, and Toronto won its third straight game to start the season.  5-3 final score.

London 3-6-1
Toronto 5-6-1

W - Deska (1-0)
L - Hammond (0-1)
S - Cicatello (1) 

After three home games, the Leafs take their show on the road later this week, starting with a game at the Barrie Baycats on May 22.