Hard times for Sausageland these days.
Schneiders, K-Dub's signature industry, is closing its local plant this year and moving it to Hamilton, thus ending the company's association with Kitchener after almost 125 years. Lots of jobs will be leaving town. The iconic Schneiders billboard girl will remain for now, still smiling despite the downfall of the people who put her there.
The IBL Panthers have been struggling too. They began the 2014 season with a 6-game losing streak and have remained mired in the bottom half of the standings.
Some folks may have expected monster off-season signing Sean Reilly to single handedly carry the team to a championship and rescue the local economy, but right now the Panthers are closer to last than first.
Still, there is plenty of time for the club to turn things around. Reilly is in the top five in Home Runs, RBIs and Batting Average, and the city is not likely to become the next Detroit.
The Panthers showed a lot of fight last night at Jack Couch Park, but they were unable to hold off the Toronto Maple Leafs, who got out of town with a 6-5 win.
Brian Oliver made his first start of the season for Kitchener. An issue with the lineup card resulted in a reshuffle of fielders and the Panthers lost their DH, meaning Oliver got to bat as well. He went 1 for 2 and scored a run, but gave up 8 hits and 5 runs and ended up with a no decision.
The win went to Leafs newcomer Evan Wolf, who pitched the final two innings in relief of Jas Shergill, who had given up 6 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out four Panthers. Wolf lost the lead in the 8th inning during one of Kitchener’s comeback rallies, but the Leafs scored the winning run in the 9th and Wolf pinched the win.
The game was close and moved fast. Twice the Leafs took a lead, but twice the Panthers came back to tie. Every starter but one got a hit, and Sean Mattson led the way with 3 RBIs. Jalen Harris (being congratulated above) hit a 2-run home run – his first of the season. Jon Waltenbury, who had played a good-natured heel for the crowd all night, got the last laugh by driving in Glenn Jackson with the winning run in the 9th.
This weekend, the Leafs will play a home-and-home series against the Brantford Red Sox, who have been rocked in their past couple of games. Hopefully the Leafs can continue the trend.
Game Recap:
The Kitchener Panthers pounced early in this game, as Toronto Maple Leafs starter Jas Shergill hit centerfielder Tanner Nivins with his first pitch. Catcher Scott David followed with a single. DH Sean Reilly then doubled both men in for an early 2-0 score.
After the first inning, Reilly was forced to play first base and the Panthers lost their DH due to an issue with the lineup card.
Toronto DH Jon Waltenbury and first baseman Damon Topolie started the 2nd inning with a pair of singles. Waltenbury stole third base, then came home on a sac fly by leftfielder Sean Mattson. 2-1 Panthers after the 2nd.
Shergill and Brian Oliver kept the score close, each of them pitching a scoreless 3rd inning.
The Leafs took the lead for the first time in the 4th, as Mattson walked and second baseman Jalen Harris hit his first home run of the season. 3-2 Leafs.
Shergill continued to pitch well, but the Panthers tied the game in the 5th. His opposite, Oliver, hit a single and moved to second on a walk, then he rumbled home with the tying run on a single by Scott David.
The Leafs struck back immediately. Topolie walked and third baseman Tyler Mitchell hit a double. High-socked Mattson, who never speaks, spoke with his bat instead. He lashed a double of his own and it was 5-3 Leafs after the 6th.
Kitchener got one more run off of Shergill in the bottom of the 7th, as Sean Reilly singled to drive in a run.
Shergill would be relieved by newcomer Evan Wolf. A throwing error by Mitchell allowed his opposite Rick Murray to reach first base and advance safely to second. A single by second baseman Mike Andrulis brought Murray home and it was all tied up at 5-5 going into the 9th.
David Whiteside moved from second base to pitch the 9th for the Panthers. He immediately gave up a single to Glenn Jackson – who came close to hitting one onto the highway behind the outfield trees earlier. In this situation, a single was fine. Jackson moved to second on a putout by catcher Grant Tamane, then took third on a wild pitch by Whiteside. All that remained was for Waltenbury to smack a single into the outfield and drive in the winning run for a 6-5 win.
Toronto 6-12-3
Kitchener 5-7-1
W - Wolf (1-0)
L - Whiteside (0-1)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs are now 9-8 and in fourth place, 5 games behind the Barrie Baycats. They next play a home-and-home series against the Brantford Red Sox this weekend, starting tonight at Arnold Anderson Stadium.
No comments:
Post a Comment