Following the 2023 Toronto Maple Leafs baseball season.


Thursday, May 28, 2015

A Sort of Homecoming

Game 6: Barrie Baycats at Toronto Maple Leafs - May 27, 2015

Baycats win 9-5




U2 have been shit for many years now.  But they used to be good, and their old song "A Sort of Homecoming" came to mind when the starting lineups were announced at Christie Pits yesterday evening.

The Barrie Baycats started seven former Toronto Maple Leafs: Glenn Jackson, Kyle DeGrace, Jordan Castaldo, Jeremy Walker, Daryl Pui, Tyler Fata and Brett Lawson.  Make of it what you will.




This was the first game of a home-and-home series, and it ended up being a closely fought battle with both sides slugging it out.  Toronto clubbed 11 hits to Barrie's ten, but the Baycats capitalized on six Maple Leaf errors to make off with a 9-5 win.  Only three of Barrie's runs were earned.

It was a less than sharp performance all around for the Leafs, as five different pitchers combined to walk nine batters on the night -- although they did ring up nine strikeouts as well.

The Leafs offense was led by centerfielder Tyler Mitchell who had two RBIs, as well as catcher Will Richards, third baseman Johnathan Solazzo and left fielder Raul Borjas, who each drove in one run.

Scary moment for Borjas in the bottom of the 7th inning, when a high pitch from Barrie starter Lawson struck his batting helmet.  Borjas stayed on his feet, but came out of the game as a precaution.  The team later indicated that Borjas was doing well, considering, and that his helmet took most of the brunt.  Hope he has a quick recovery and is back on the field soon.

This series continues Thursday night in Barrie.


Game Recap:

Unlike the habitual explosive start to a game between the Maple Leafs and Baycats, both teams began this one quietly.  Starters Oscar Gonzalez and Brett Lawson each pitched a scoreless first.

The pitchers' duel lasted all of one inning, as both teams got on the board in the second.  Gonzalez walked Barrie DH Jeremy Walker and hit right fielder Daryl Pui with a pitch.  Both runners advanced on a groundout by second baseman Tyler Fata.  Walker scored on a single by shortstop Kevin Dion, and Pui scored on a hit by Glenn Jackson that was played for an error.  2-0 Baycats

In the bottom of the 2nd, the Leafs got one back.  Catcher Will Richards doubled to lead off, advanced to third on a groundout by leftfielder Raul Borjas, then scored on a single by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo.  2-1 Baycats after the 2nd inning.

Barrie first baseman Jordan Castaldo led off the 3rd inning with a flyball that ended up being dropped for an error by rightfielder Sean Mattson.  That was followed by a single to right by third baseman Kevin Atkinson that Mattson mishandled for another error.  A wild pitch brought Castaldo in with the unearned run.  3-1 Baycats after three innings.

Dillan Mulholland came in to pitch the 4th inning in relief of Gonzalez.  He walked catcher Kyle DeGrace, who then stole second.  Two walks loaded the bases, and a wild pitch brought DeGrace home with another unearned run.  4-1 Baycats.

Richards led off the bottom of the 4th with a solo home run.  Borjas and DH Brendan Keys each singled, then scored on a double by centerfielder Tyler Mitchell that tied the game 4-4 after four.

Each team added a run in the 5th.  For Barrie, Walker doubled and scored on a single by Pui.  For Toronto, second baseman Dan Marra walked, took second on a wild pitch, then scored on a single by Borjas.  5-5 after five.

In the top of the 6th, Cameron Gray relieved Mulholland.  Atkinson walked and left fielder Steve Lewis singled - with both runners taking an extra base on an error by Borjas.  A single by Fata plated them both.  Fata moved to second on a wild pitch, then came around to score on a single by Dion that Gray played for an error.  8-5 after the 6th.

Barrie added one more run in the top of the 9th.  Dion reached first on an error by Marra, and DeGrace drove him home with a double.  The Leafs were unable to do much damage to reliever Chris Nagorski and it was a 9-5 final.


Barrie 9-10-2
Toronto 5-11-6

W - Lawson (3-0, 6.18)
L - Gray (0-1, 0.00)

BOXSCORE


The Leafs drop back to .500 and their 3-3 record puts them in 4th place, 3.5 games behind the still undefeated London Majors.  Their next game is against these same Baycats in Barrie later tonight, May 28.























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