Leafs win 13-4
The Toronto Maple Leafs stormed into Hastings Stadium in Guelph this afternoon and demolished the place. They scored 13 runs on 15 hits for an easy win against a Royals team that is suffering a rocky start to this IBL season.
Up and down the order, the Leafs pounded Guelph pitching like a wrecking crew.
POW! Connor Lewis with three hits, two RBIs and three runs scored.
POW! Johnathan Solazzo with three hits including his first home run of the season (above). Three RBIs too.
POW! Raul Borjas with three hits and three RBIs, raising his average to .375.
POW! Surprise DH Oscar Gonzalez with a 3 for 3 day and two runs scored.
On the mound, Leafs starter Marek Deska delivered his usual bulldog performance, going seven innings with five strikeouts and just one run surrendered.
It was a perfect day for baseball, sunny and warm with a cooling breeze. Among the Leafs' travelling delegation were yours truly, as well as Al the ticket guy. Later in the game we took to the shade in the Florentine loggia that serves as the ballpark's grandstand. Every inning, Al's phone would chime -- it was The Owner, calling in for live updates since Pointstreak was not working properly. The man has his finger on the pulse at all times.
A late rally gave Guelph a few runs, but by then it was way too late. The crowd had thinned out, the rest of us were glancing at the exits, and Al was describing the final plays of the game over his phone, as Christian Botnick came in to finish off the Royals.
Game Recap:
The Toronto Maple Leafs jumped on the board to start the game. Rightfielder Connor Lewis singled, stole second, moved to third on a fielder's choice, and scored on a ground out by leftfielder Raul Borjas. 1-0 Leafs after the 1st inning.
Marek Deska got the start for Toronto, and he cruised through the first couple of innings, giving up just one hit through two.
Meanwhile, the Leafs pounded Guelph starter Adrian Yuen in the top of the 3rd. Lewis singled to lead off, advanced to second on a fielder's choice, then scored again on a single by Borjas. Yuen walked second baseman Dan Marra, then served up a 3-run homer to third baseman Johnathan Solazzo to make it 5-0 Leafs.
The Royals got one back off Deska in the bottom of the 3rd. Second baseman Henry Aracbedo drew a walk to lead off. DH Blake Stepien followed with a double, and Aracbedo scored on a groundout by centerfielder Santino Silvestri. 5-1 Leafs after the 3rd inning.
Yuen got through the 4th unscathed and turned it over to Roberto Suppa to start the 5th. Suppa proceeded to load the bases on three walks. Lewis then tagged him for a double that scored Solazzo and DH Oscar Gonzalez. 7-1 Leafs after 5 innings.
Borjas added a run in the 6th, reaching first base on an error, working his way around the bases and scoring on a sac fly by Marra. 8-1 Leafs after 6 innings.
Suppa was relieved by Bryce MacDonald-Wilson and the Leafs went to town on him too. First baseman Damon Topolie led off with a walk, then advanced to third on a booming double by Gonzalez. Topolie scored on a hit by Lewis that MacDonald-Wilson fielded for an error. Centerfielder Grant Tamane drove both Lewis and Gonzalez home with a double. Tamane moved to third on a wild pitch, and Borjas drove him home with a single. 12-1 Leafs after the 7th inning.
Tylan Essery came on to pitch the top of the 8th for the Royals, and the Leafs got to him as well. Marra singled, Solazzo doubled (almost another home run to deep centerfield), and a sac fly brought in Marra for a 13-1 lead.
Deska was relieved by Kyle Kotchie in the bottom of the inning. Kotchie started off by striking out Silvestri. Shortstop Mattingly Romanin then hit a liner that hit Kotchie on the lower leg. Kotchie went down, but was able to scramble over to the ball, reach for it and throw to first quite literally while on his stomach for the out. If the game was closer, it might have been the play of the game, but what the hell let's give it to Kotchie anyway.
It's uncertain if the liner affected Kotchie, but he returned to start the bottom of the 9th for the Leafs. After walking the first two batters, he got two outs, but then walked two more to bring in a run, and bring Christian Botnick out of the bullpen. An error and a single brought in two more Guelph runs, but Botnick was able to end the game by drawing a fielder's choice and a 13-4 final for Toronto.
Toronto 13-15-2
Guelph 4-7-3
W - Deska (3-0, 3.15)
L - Yuen (0-2, 7.61)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs are 5-5 and 2.5 games behind the Barrie Baycats and Kitchener Panthers, who have both overtaken London at the top of the standings. The Leafs are back at Christie Pits tomorrow afternoon to take on the Brantford Red Sox.
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