Traumatic Scenes of Violence

2021 IBL Quarterfinals - Game 1, September 9 - Hamilton Cardinals at Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs win 21-6

Sean Reilly on the basepaths following another devastating hit, a regular sight all night.

It's Sean Reilly's world, we're all just living in it.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' 2021 playoff push got off to a booming start last night at Christie Pits, with number 33 lighting fuses every time he came to the plate.

The Leafs' DH racked up five hits and five RBIs with two home runs.

Second baseman Garrett Takamatsu was right behind him with four hits, five RBIs, and two round trips of his own.

Catcher Justin Marra, right fielder Marcus Knecht, third baseman Johnathan Solazzo (who also homered) and centerfielder Connor Lewis each drove in two runs.  First baseman Jordan Castaldo drove in one, and the Leafs totaled 21 hits on a night they scored 21 runs.

The Leafs decimated Hamilton Cardinals pitching in the first game of this short quarterfinal series.  

Reilly led the assault with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first and the Mapes never looked back.  They piled on nine runs in the 2nd, five runs in the 4th and five runs in the 6th.

Cards starter Julian Tymochko lasted just 1 and 1/3 of an inning.  He gave up seven earned runs en route to the loss.  He was relieved by Ben Braun who took the brunt of the Leafs offensive explosion and weathered 4 and 2/3 innings.

Hamilton manager Dean Castelli got tossed in the 2nd after arguing with the home plate umpire.  A second Hamilton coach was also tossed in the 6th.  The ejections failed to spark a comeback.

Leafs pitching was as dominant on the mound as were the bats at the plate.

Starter Marek Deska earned a measure of revenge on the Cardinals, who defeated him in a one-game wild card playoff in 2014.  On this night, he pitched six innings, giving up six hits and three runs while striking out six.  Andrew Hyde pitched the rest of the way and kept the Cardinals from sneaking back into the game.

It's a best-of-three contest which means the Leafs could advance as soon as tonight in Hamilton.  Game 2 goes at 7:35 pm at Bernie Arbour Stadium.  A solid contingent of Christie Crazies plans to make the trip down the QEW to observe more scenes of traumatic violence courtesy of their heroes in the V-necks.

Hamilton 6 12 1
Toronto 21 21 2

W - Deska (1-0, 4.50)
L - Tymochko (0-1, 47.26)

BOXSCORE