Majors win 7-4
What a difference a week makes.
Two Sundays ago at Christie Pits, the Toronto Maple Leafs staged a fantastic comeback to beat the London Majors in walkoff style. It looked like they were starting to peak just as the regular season was wrapping up. Based on the standings, it also looked like they'd face the Majors in round one of the playoffs riding a wave of momentum.
A week later, that's all gone out the window. The Leafs' big mo has been stalled. They've been bit by the injury bug at the worst time. The club fell victim to three straight walkoffs and has lost six in a row. The boys in blue have slipped a place in the standings and would no longer be facing the Majors if the playoffs started today.
The slide continued tonight at Labatt Park, as these two teams played a rescheduled rainout from June.
As has often been the case this season, the Leafs played hard and put in solid efforts on all sides, but they fell just short and lost again, 7-4. Calls, bounces, every little thing - none of it is going their way at the moment. Wouldn't be surprised if the boys felt the need to decimate a few trash cans with a few unloved bats. Maybe grab some lighter fluid and torch a few buildings.
Okay, no arson. Bad idea. Maybe wear your socks high. It's been known to work.
Game Recap:
At Labatt Park in London, the Majors hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs in a rescheduled game. Owen Boon and Brett Van Pelt were the starting pitchers.
The Leafs jumped out to a quick lead, as leftfielder Grant Tamane doubled, advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a groundout by DH Jon Waltenbury. 1-0 Leafs after a half inning of play.
In the bottom of the second, the Majors rallied for a big inning. A fielding error by second baseman Dan Marra allowed leadoff man DH Sean Refflinghaus to reach first. Catcher Larry Gonzalez singled to put two men aboard. Centerfielder Deryn Henry followed with a single to load the bases. Van Pelt then walked second baseman Chris McQueen to let a run walk home. A single by rightfielder Humberto Ruiz then scored Gonzalez and Henry. Then, a botched pickoff attempt from Van Pelt to first baseman Will Richards allowed Ruiz to move up a base as McQueen dashed home to score. Ruiz scored on a single by first baseman Cleveland Brownlee and when the dust settled the Majors had jumped out to a 5-1 lead after two innings.
London added a run in the bottom of the third. Refflinghaus walked and moved to second on a sac bunt. A single to center-right by Gonzalez drove him in to make it 6-1 Majors.
The Leafs battled back in the top of the 4th. Boon walked Waltenbury to start the inning, then gave up a double to Marra that moved Waltenbury to third. A high flyball by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo was dropped by Henry in centerfield, allowing Waltenbury to score. Marra followed him across the plate on a groundout by rightfielder Kyle Redinger, and it was 6-3 Majors after the 4th inning.
In the bottom of the 6th, Ruiz led off with a triple, and scored on a sac fly by shortstop Paul Lytwynec. 7-3 Majors through six innings.
In the top of the 8th, shortstop Connor Lewis singled, then stole second with an acrobatic headfirst slide that fooled Lytwynec. He moved to third on a putout by Tamane, then trotted home on a sac fly by centerfielder Tyler Mitchell. 7-4 Majors midway through the 8th inning.
Van Pelt was relieved by Cam Gray in the bottom of the 8th. Gray gave up a leadoff walk to Henry, who quickly stole second. Gray then struck out McQueen, and got out of the inning when Ruiz flew out to Mitchell, and Mitchell fired a laser to second, catching Henry for the double play. Got heem! Still 7-4 Majors through eight.
Top of the 9th, Taylor Carr relieved Boon. Solazzo lined out to Lytwynec, Redinger grounded to Lytwynec, and Richards hit a high hopper that Lytwynec bobbled for an error. But a groundout by Keys to someone other than Lytwynec ended the game and locked down the 7-4 final for London.
Toronto 4-6-3
London 7-9-2
W - Boon (1-2, 1.80)
L - Van Pelt (3-4, 3.43)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs are now 13-18 and in 6th place, 12 games behind the Barrie Baycats. They will try to break out of their 6-game losing streak tomorrow night in Kitchener against the hard hitting, loud roary noise making Panthers.
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