Hardie's Hello

Game 8: London Majors at Toronto Maple Leafs, May 28, 2017

Majors win 13-6

Comes the sun, come the homers.

Up to this point in the 2017 IBL season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had half of their regular season schedule rained out. They managed to get in one home game earlier this month, in what turned out to be a mind-altering 18-inning Mother's Day marathon where all the rules were broken. Spectators who sat through the entire 4 hours and 45 minutes would be forgiven if their brains had turned to compost by the end of that one.

Today's rain-free, nine inning matchup with the London Majors was a welcome return to normality.

On the subject of welcomes, Tyler Hardie introduced himself to the fans at Christie Pits by smashing two home runs and four RBIs this afternoon. 

Toronto's new first baseman was joined in the home run parade by catcher Justin Marra, who knocked his first of the year.

The Leafs racked up six runs in what turned out to be a losing effort against the Majors, who took an early lead and cruised to a 13-6 win.

Andrew Simonetti made his first start on the mound for the Leafs. He gave up a three spot in the first inning, and three more in the fourth. His ERA remains a sexy 1.12 because only one of those runs were earned. All told, the Leafs racked up seven errors on the day. Brutal.

The errors came early for Toronto, as London leadoff man Chris McQueen reached on the second pitch of the game, a grounder that was misplayed at short. A double by Keith Kandel scored McQueen and the Majors were off to the races.

Simonetti battled through four innings before handing the ball to Nate Morris, down 6-0. Morris pitched two innings, during which London scored two more unearned runs. Errors. Brutal.

Bottom of the seventh, 8-0 London. Justin Marra led off the inning with a solo home run. Hardie followed with a solo blast of his own. Second baseman Dan Marra singled. Shortstop Ryan White reached on an error, and then centerfielder Connor Lewis plated Marra with a single. 8-3 London through seven.

Toronto made it interesting in the bottom of the eighth. Trailing 9-3, they put two men aboard and Hardie launched his second home run of the game, making it a 9-6 game.

A miracle comeback was not in the cards today. The Majors tacked on four more runs in their half of the ninth for a 13-6 final, improving their record to 6-0 to start the season. Starter Luis Sanchez pitched 6 2/3 innings for the visitors and got his third win of the year. Simonetti got stuck with the loss for the home side.

Losing sucks, but it was good news for folks on the Christie hillside, as a new home run threat has become part of the team. Hello, Hardie!


W - Sanchez (3-0, 3.70)
L - Simonetti (0-1, 1.12)


BOXSCORE


Following the loss, the Leafs are 3-2 in the month of May, good for 4th place in the IBL Standings. Their homestand continues with a night game this Wednesday. They will host the Hamilton Cardinals at Christie Pits on May 31 with first pitch scheduled for 7:30.

Rock and Roll: A Manager's Delight

Game 7: Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals, May 27, 2017

Leafs win 12-3

After so much rain, it was finally time to rock and roll.

The Toronto Maple Leafs did just that today at Hastings Stadium in Guelph. Following two rainouts, and a week since their last game, they burst out in the top of the first inning against the Royals and never looked back.

The Rock: the Leafs knocked five different pitchers around to the tune of 12 hits and 12 runs.

Leftfielder Grant Tamane wasted no time against Royals starter Tyler Vavra. Leading off the top of the first, he bopped a bingle that got through the shortstop. DH Jon Waltenbury singled next, and catcher Justin Marra then hit an infield spinner that looked like a sure out until it was fielded for an error. Fielders all over the place, bases loaded, and the onslaught was under way. Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo grounded to second and Marra was out on the fielder's choice, but Tamane scored. First baseman Tyler Hardie followed with a groundout, but Waltenbury scored. Shortstop Ryan White kept the line moving with a single to drive in Solazzo and the Leafs were up 3-0 after half an inning of play.

The Roll: Adam Garner's ankle.

Garner made the start on the mound for Toronto, and got into an early jam. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases. DH Darren Saunders then hit a single to the outfield and Garner ran to back up home plate. In doing so, he turned his left ankle and went down to the turf. Back up right away, he finished the inning with no further damage to his ankle or his scoreline. 3-1 Leafs after one.

Returning to the mound in the bottom of the second, Garner struggled with his planting foot. He managed just three pitches before the bum ankle forced him from the game.

Toronto skipper Damon Topolie called upon Justin Cicatello, and the starter delivered a star performance. Over the next 6 2/3 innings, Cicatello held the Royals to just four hits and one run, much to his manager's relief.

Meanwhile, the Leafs' bats kept on rocking. In the top of the fourth inning they sent 11 men to the plate and put five more runs on the board.

By the top of the seventh, it was 8-2 for the Leafs and Topolie was well on the way to emptying his bench. The subs kept it up, racking up another four runs for the visitors. By the ninth, the Leafs' side of the boxscore was jammed with names. All told, 15 different players got to bat in this game.

Cicatello handed it off to Adam Marra to finish the bottom of the ninth. The Royals mounted a brief uprising, scoring one run on a pair of hits and two errors at first. But with one out and the bases loaded, White put an end to it by turning an unassisted double play at second base and slamming the door on a 12-3 final score for the Torontos.

White and centerfielder Connor Lewis led the way with a pair of hits each. Eight other batters each had one hit. Solazzo led the RBI assault with four, while Justin Marra, Tyler Hardie and Julian Johnson each knocked in two.

In the end, the day was a manager's delight. The injury to the starting pitcher was handled without any kind of bullpen ordeal, and a full bench of players got into a game that was never in doubt.


W - Cicatello (2-0, 1.52)
L - Vavra (0-1, 9.00)


BOXSCORE


Today's win gives the Maple Leafs a 3-1 record to start the season, good for 4th place in the IBL standings. They return to Christie Pits tomorrow afternoon for a tilt against the London Majors. First pitch is 2:00.