Panthers win 4-3
Panthers win series 4-0
In the end, it was all Panthers.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were unable to dig out of an ever-deepening hole and were eliminated from the IBL playoffs last night at Jack Couch Park.
They lost in heartbreaking fashion to a Kitchener ballclub that hit three home runs, including a game-winning solo shot by Yorbis Borroto.
Justin Cicatello -- total lege -- kept the Leafs in the game the entire night until Borroto's fateful blast in the bottom of the eighth. It broke a 3-3 tie and sent the Panthers into the IBL championship series to face the Barrie Baycats.
It looked like the Toronto starter was ready to pitch 15 innings if necessary. Midway through each frame he strolled back to the mound with an expression betraying none of the pressure that was on him and his teammates.
They came out swinging in the first inning.
Leftfielder Grant Tamane drew a leadoff walk off starter Yonder Martinez, who then gave up three singles in a row. Shortstop Aaron Hornostaj and first baseman Justin Marra got the first two hits. Catcher Mike Reeves then stroked a single to right field to drive in Tamane. A sac fly by rightfielder Marcus Knecht scored Hornostaj and the Leafs were up 2-0.
It didn't last long. Mike Gordner hit a two-run homer to tie the game 2-2 in the bottom of the first.
Martinez and Cicatello traded scoreless innings until the bottom of the fourth. Brian Burton hit a leadoff dinger to give Kitchener its first lead of the night, 3-2.
Toronto responded immediately. Tamane singled to lead off the fifth, then moved to second on a putout by Hornostaj. He was driven in on a single by Knecht and it was a 3-3 ballgame through five.
Moving into the later innings, Jack Couch became quieter, the vibe in the air tenser.
The two starting pitchers were opposites on the mound. Cicatello seemed to be constantly in motion -- delivering a pitch, receiving the ball back, stepping on, looking in, setting, and delivering again in a constant cycle.
Martinez slowed his half of each inning to a crawl. He would deliver a pitch, receive the ball back, take a stroll off the mound, step on, step off, go to the rosin bag, step on, step off, stare at the batter, stare at the moon, take another stroll, fill in some squares on the crossword in his back pocket, step on, step off, rosin again, contemplate the meaning of life or his grocery list it was hard to tell, more rosin just to be sure, step on, look in, wind up in slowwwwwwwwwwwwmotion, and finally deliver. The pantomime reached its peak when Justin Marra got in on the act, hesitating at the plate, calling for time, calling for pine tar, etc.. As one observer noted, "We'd all be home a half hour earlier tonight if they took away that rosin bag."
Martinez was finished after what felt like six thousand innings. Matt Vickers relieved him and pitched a perfect seventh.
Mike Schnurr came on in the eighth and did the same thing.
Cicatello churned through the game to the bottom of the eighth. The ballpark was eerily silent by this point in the night, as Borroto went to the plate to lead off. He took a called strike, then a ball, then delivered the next pitch over a fence-scaling Tamane in left. Home run, Panther lead, hundreds of people switched on and noisy with one swing of the bat.
After waging a close battle all night, the Leafs were down to their final three outs. They were unable to muster anything, and went down in order in a 4-3 final. Schnurr with the win, Cicatello with a cruel loss, and Toronto out of the postseason.
The Panthers and Leafs shook hands after the game. It turned out to be a mostly one-sided series, but there was genuine respect shown for each other by both sides. The stunning finish of Game 1 set a tone that Toronto was unable to alter. Kitchener gained momentum through each result and won a well-deserved sweep.
I remember a quick exchange I had with Panthers manager Luke Baker between innings during Game 3.
I had asked him:
"You know what I don't like about you guys?"
"What's that?"
"You guys are very, very likeable."
He smiled warmly at that, in a very likeable way. His team played hard and clean, and I wish them well in the championship series.
Mapes! Youse guys! Here we are at the end of another summer, the quest for glory cut short. Thank you for letting me be your quiet shadow, letting me peek over your shoulders, and letting me get in your faces.
Through heady days and low times, it's been a memorable summer -- the most enjoyable since I started this strange trip.
And now, the long and terrible winter begins.
Toronto 3-9-1
Kitchener 4-7-1
W - Schnurr (1-0, 1.12)
L - Cicatello (1-2, 4.56)
BOXSCORE
NOTE: Eric Penkala and Cory Graham are total leges who blazed the highways and barged into the press boxes of the IBL to provide live webcasts of each Leafs playoff game. All of them are archived on YouTube, and can be found at Toronto Maple Leafs IBL Webcast.
Here's their complete coverage of Game 4.
Baseball is designed to break your heart, and never fails. The Toronto Maple Leafs' 50th season has concluded.
This ride is over; can't wait to clamber aboard the next one.
