A certain four-letter word could best summarize the goings-on at Christie Pits today.
Even though Toronto sits well above sea level, the Pits become a demonic cauldron when the summer sun beats down. Cool air? Dream on. The day started hot and stayed that way, creating a heated atmosphere throughout the park before a pitch was thrown. I'm a big red man, and I don't do well on days like this.
Things didn't get any better when the Toronto Maple Leafs and Guelph Royals took the field.
It started well enough. In the 3rd inning, Glenn Jackson drove in a run and scored another off of Royals starter Nathan Borges to give the Leafs the lead. Evan Wolf, making his first start for the Leafs, held the Royals to just two hits over the first four innings.
Then shit started to happen and F-bombs started dropping all over the park.
The Royals got a man aboard in the 5th, after shortstop Dan Marra's third error of the day. The next man up, Josh Garton, hit one into the right field corner. Darryl Pui tracked it down but clattered against the fence and it fell for a double. Pui unleashed some F-bombs. The next man up, Chandler McLaren, hit another one to right. It was good for a two-run double and Jackson launched some F-bombs from centerfield.
DH Jon Waltenbury went off in the 6th inning. After striking out, he hurled his batting helmet right out of the field of play. It bounced off the hillside and came to a rest on a walkway. Heads Up On The Hill went to gather it sombrely, and Waltenbury was thrown out of the game.
On the hillside, everyone looked on weakly, wilting in the heat. The umps were not having a good day either. A blown call at first got the normally stoic Damon Topolie spitting oaths in their direction.
The Leafs ended up stranding nine men on base, same as the Royals, but it was Guelph who snuck one more run across the plate late in the game.
Wolf pitched a gem over 7 innings, giving up just two runs on four hits while striking out five. Jake Hines came in to start the 8th. A walk and a single and Hines was yanked in favour of Justin Lawrence, but Guelph scored on a fielder's choice and took a 3-2 lead. F-bombs rained down from the Owner's box.
The Leafs rallied late but it wasn't enough as the Royals came away win the win.
F#@*!!!
Game Recap:
Newcomers Evan Wolf and Nathan Borges made starts for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Guelph Royals, respectively, and each pitcher held the other team scoreless through the first couple of innings.
In the bottom of the 3rd, rightfielder Darryl Pui and centerfielder Glenn Jackson hit a pair of doubles off of Borges. Pui scored the first run of the game. Second baseman Grant Tamane singled next. He was caught stealing at second while Jackson moved over to third. A wild pitch to left fielder Raul Borjas allowed Jackson to score, and it was 2-0 Leafs.
Wolf looked good, giving up just two hits over the first four innings. In the top of the 5th, left fielder Bruce Yari reached first on an error by shortstop Dan Marra. Guelph second baseman Josh Garton was up next, and he hit a flyball to right for a double, advancing Yari to third. Rightfielder Chandler McLaren followed with another double to right, scoring Yari and Garton and tying the score at 2-2 after five innings.
Wolf was perfect through the 6th and 7th innings, then turned it over to Jake Hines for the 8th. Hines walked McLaren and gave up a single to DH Brian Doran. Justin Lawrence came in to pitch. Catcher Patrick Coughlin hit into what turned out to be a game-winning fielder's choice that allowed McLaren to score and the Royals took a 3-2 lead after the 8th inning.
Guelph brought in Ryan Greco and Sam Haight-Haldane to pitch the 8th and 9th innings, and they held the home side scoreless. Pui and Jackson started a last-gasp, two-out rally in the 9th. Pui singled and Jackson walked after an epic 10-pitch at bat, but Haight-Haldane got the final out and sealed the 3-2 win.
The Leafs were held to six hits on the day, with Pui hitting two and there was one each from Jackson, Tamane, DH Jon Waltenbury and first baseman Damon Topolie. The Royals actually hit one fewer, but scored one more run than the Leafs, and that was good enough for the win on this day.
Guelph 3-5-1
Toronto 2-6-4
W - Bannon (1-0)
L - Hines (0-1)
S - Haight-Haldane (1)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs are now 11-10 and in fourth place, 6 games behind the Barrie Baycats. Their next game is on Canada Day in London, for an early-evening matchup against the Majors.
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