On the Christie Hillside: Ain't Life Grand?

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - August 2 to 8, 2021

The Toronto Maple Leafs continued to thrill Christie Pits crowds with big blasts and comeback wins in Week 5 of the IBL season

TAK SLAM: Garrett Takamatsu is greeted by his teammates after hitting a grand slam on Sunday afternoon.

As the summer of 2021 rolled into August, fans have continued flocking to Christie Pits in droves, eager to embrace the familiarity and the normality provided by baseball. Their devotion to the Toronto Maple Leafs has been rewarded each time with familiar scenes for the reveling.

Big blasts, comebacks and wins.

The boys in the V-neck pullovers have been turning each game into an intra-squad home run derby. As of Sunday night, the Leafs have blasted 22 home runs on the season. In comparison, the Welland Jackfish have 12 and the London Majors have 11. All other clubs are in single digits.

Christie comebacks are real, and they're spectacular. Six out of the eight games the Leafs have played at home so far have resulted in comeback victories.

All said, the Leafs boast a 7-1 record at home.

On the road, it's a much, much different story. A gruesome tale.

Away from the Pits, the Leafs remain winless at 0-5. They are the only club not to win a game on the road this season. Gruesome I tell you.

It's like following two different clubs. Like one isn't enough. This week was a perfect example of the Jeckyl and Hyde thing that the Leafs have going this year. Two comeback wins at home punctuated by glorious grand slams, and a crummy loss on the road...

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 - Kitchener Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs

KNECHT FOUR: Marcus Knecht's grand slam in the 6th gave the Leafs a lead they would not relinquish.

For the second time in two weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Kitchener Panthers at home on a Wednesday night.

For the second week in a row, first baseman Jordan Castaldo hit a leadoff home run in the first inning.

And for the second week in a row, the Leafs came back to beat the Panthers. It's a comforting pattern we can all use these days.

Marek Deska took the mound as the sun began to set over Christie Pits, and he held the visitors hitless through the first three innings. His only slip was a two-run homer in the 4th that put the visitors ahead.

Kitchener starter Liam Devine settled down after Castaldo's first inning homer, which would be the only run he gave up through four.

Nighttime settled around the park and groovy music drifted over from a neighbouring field. Kyle Perrett took over for Deska in the 5th and put three goose eggs on the board. Perrett's shutdown performance would earn him his second win of the season.

Meanwhile, the Leafs mounted another comeback. In the bottom of the 6th, they racked up five runs from three hits and two walks. The inning was punctuated with an opportunity at wordplay that no writer could resist. Knecht Four! A grand slam off the bat of right fielder Marcus Knecht was part of a five-run inning. Up 6-2 through six, the Leafs would not relinquish the lead.

The Panthers made it a close one in their half of the ninth. They scratched out four runs off of Mateos Kekatos, who held on to finish the game and secure an 8-6 victory for Toronto.

Kitchener 6 7 1

Toronto 8 11 1

W - Perrett (2-0, 9.48)

L - Douglas (1-1, 6.00)

BOXSCORE

Thursday, August 5, 2021 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Kitchener Panthers

This game was rescheduled to Saturday, August 14. For reasons unknown.

Friday, August 6, 2021 - Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors

The Leafs loaded the bases three times against London, but could not cash in enough runs to win.
Image from London Majors YouTube

Let's call this one a game of missed opportunities.

The Maple Leafs pounded out 12 hits on the road at Labatt Memorial Park, but ended up on the losing side of a 5-4 final against the London Majors.

The Mapes led the game very early on. In the top of the 1st, catcher Justin Marra doubled and was driven home on a single by DH Sean Reilly. The Majors tied the score in the bottom of the inning, then added two more runs in the 2nd for a 3-1 lead.

The Leafs loaded the bases in the 2nd but came away with no runs.

Marra led off the 5th with a solo home run. The Leafs then loaded the bases again but were unable to put any more runs on the board.

Leafs starter Brandon Lyons pitched four innings. He was relieved the rest of the way by Michael Asta, who gave up two runs in the bottom of the 6th to make it a 5-2 ballgame.

The Leafs loaded the bases again in the 8th inning. Reilly singled to drive in two runs and make it a one-run game. That was as close as it got. The Leafs went down in order in the 9th for their fifth road loss in five road games.

Toronto 4 12 3

London 5 7 0

W - Ferrington (1-0, 1.10)

L - Lyons (0-1, 6.75)

S - Lund (2)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, August 8, 2021 - Brantford Red Sox at Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs batting leader Sean Reilly raised his average to a searing .489 on Sunday, and he and teammate Garrett Takamatsu are currently tied for the league lead in RBIs with 18

Sunday at Christie Pits was overcast and muggy. There were occasional spits of rain, but it was the Maple Leafs who rained harder.

Almost out of politeness, Leafs starter Matthias Trondson gave up a courtesy run to the visiting Brantford Red Sox in the top of the first inning.

The devastation that followed put all courtesy to an end.

Crash! Bang! Wallop! The Leafs sent 11 men to the plate in the bottom of the 1st, and they put seven runs on the scoreboard. The exclamation point of the inning was a grand slam by third baseman Garrett Takamatsu. The home side staged another Christie comeback, and the game was literally over after one inning.

The Leafs added two more runs in the 2nd to make it 9-1.

They added three more in the 5th to make it 12-1.

Through it all, the Red Sox had been chirping at the home plate ump. They started early and spread the chirping around. Coaches, players, they all had an opinion to share with the ump. It was enough to earn a warning early in the game. As things spun out of control, the visitors kept chirping. Things boiled over in the 6th. After reliever Mack Major gave up his second walk of the inning, Red Sox player Jacob Reid chirped too loudly and got tossed. He took a few steps towards home plate and barked at the umpire.

"Look at the ball!" he yelled.

"Look at the scoreboard!" a Leafs fan yelled back.

Reid skulked away without another word.

Zingers aside, it was good to see Zach Sloan return to the mound in relief of Trondson. It was Sloan's first appearance since the season opener in July, and he pitched a scoreless inning. He was followed by Evan DiMichele, Jeff Liddell and Mateos Kekatos who closed out the win for Sloan.

At the plate, Takamatsu led the way with three hits and four RBIs. His grand slam was his fifth homer of the season, putting him atop the league standings in that category. DH Sean Reilly and shortstop Jordan Castaldo each had two hits and two RBIs. Justin Marra, Damon Topolie and Grant Tamane each drove in a run.

The rain held off and it was another home win for the hometown heroes. They are skipping their usual Wednesday nighter at home this week, and embarking on a three-city road trip starting on Thursday.

Brantford 4 13 2

Toronto 12 14 1

W - Sloan (1-1, 9.00)

L - Moore (0-2, 5.40)

BOXSCORE