Leafs win 6-5
Julian Johnson waited all day for his chance.
Throughout most of a blistering afternoon at Christie Pits, Johnson had sat on the bench with a towel draped over his head in an effort to hide from the sun.
He watched as the Toronto Maple Leafs and visiting Brantford Red Sox swapped leads and wrestled to a 5-5 tie.
In the bottom of the ninth, manager Damon Topolie tapped Johnson to grab his bat and lead off the inning.
Arguably, Johnson has been waiting all season for his chance. Used mostly as a pinch hitter on a roster filled with sluggers, the Toronto Maple Leafs newcomer seized the opportunity and made a statement.
Facing Red Sox closer Tanner Guindon, Johnson worked the count to 2-2. Then, he smashed the next pitch over the left field fence (above). It was a no doubter, and Christie Pits got lit.
The release was palpable.
It was a stinking hot day and everyone had been baking for over two-and-a-half hours. Most fans had massed in the shade under the big tree on the north slope.
Down on the field, tensions had gradually been cranked higher as the game went on. With each routine flyball or groundout, players had vented their frustrations. By the closing innings, booming F-bombs were being launched by players, coaches, and fans too. Bless you, Christie Crazies.
So when Johnson won the game with a swing of the bat, an eruption of celebratory noise rang around the Pits for several minutes.
The Red Sox had taken an early lead in this game. Leafs starter Justin Cicatello pitched a perfect first inning, but started the second by giving up a walk and a couple of singles to let in a run for Brantford.
The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth, when the Leafs finally got to Brantford starter Christian Garcia. Right fielder Daniel Szpik led off with a walk. Left fielder Brendan Keys and shortstop Adam Odd followed with singles to load the bases. Centerfielder Greg Carrington was out on a flyball and the runners held. Third baseman Grant Tamane was then plunked on the shoulder by a pitch, bringing Szpik home with the Leafs' first run of the game. DH Jon Waltenbury then hit a sac fly to score Keys. Garcia struggled for control as he walked catcher Justin Marra to re-load the bases, then walked first baseman Tyler Hardie to bring in another run. A flyball out by second baseman Dan Marra ended the inning, but the Leafs had taken a 3-1 lead through five innings.
Brantford got a run back in the top of the sixth, when Cicatello gave up a double and a single. A nifty double-play ended the inning, but the Leafs clung to a 3-2 lead halfway through the sixth.
Toronto extended their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Singles by Keys and Odd chased Garcia from the game, and he was relieved by Matt Betts. A walk to Carrington loaded the bases once again. Tamane hit a grounder to third that was fielded for an error, scoring Keys. Waltenbury then hit his second sac fly of the game to drive in Odd and make it 5-2 Leafs after six.
Cicatello handed the ball over to Adam Garner to start the top of the eighth. Returning from an ankle injury, Garner got into a jam. He gave up a double, hit a batter, and allowed a run to score on another double. Adam Marra got the call from the bullpen and limited the damage to two more runs, but the Red Sox had battled all the way back to tie the game 5-5.
Tanner Guindon came on in relief for Brantford in the bottom of the eighth, and he held the Leafs scoreless.
Pedro De Los Santos pitched a scoreless top of the ninth for Toronto, setting up Johnson's pinch hit opportunity in the bottom of the ninth. Johnson made the most of it with his game-winning home run, and he was greeted with water sprays and a crush of happy teammates at home plate.
After the game, I fought off the effects of heatstroke and asked Johnson to walk through his at bat.
"Well, I stand up next to a mountain, and I chop it down with the edge of my hand," he said.
I asked if he was sitting on a fastball when the count went 2-2.
"Well, I stand up next to a mountain. Chop it down with the edge of my hand. 'Cause I'm a voodoo child, lord knows I'm a voodoo child," he concluded.*
After waiting all afternoon, the chance was Johnson's, and so was the day.
* This interview took place in my overheated mind.
W - De Los Santos (1-1, 4.35)
L - Guindon (0-1, 1.74)
BOXSCORE
The Leafs' record improves to 6-5 and they hold 4th place in the IBL standings for another day. They return to Christie Pits tomorrow night, Monday June 12th, for a makeup game against the Kitchener Panthers. First pitch is 7:35.
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