On the Christie Hillside: Lighting up the Pits

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - May 30 to June 5, 2022

A rare shutout and a walkoff winner brought the thrills back to Christie Pits this week.

Dustin Richardson greets Luca Boscarino for a high five after the Leafs walked off the Royals on Sunday.

The post-Jack era of Maple Leafs baseball is awash in newness. Clean new unies, a swanky new infield at Christie Pits, and plenty of new faces on the team.

Manager Damon Topolie continues to sort out the pieces in hopes of building a winning roster for the 2022 season. Not a game has gone by without someone making his Leafs debut on the field, or one of the rookies making a big contribution.

On Wednesday, the first of this season's six night games took place at the Pits. The new wave Leafs hosted the equally new wave Barrie Baycats and completely shut down their old rivals. Rookie Aidan McAskie homered as part of the Leafs' scoring barrage. Starter Zach Sloan teamed up with three other pitchers to forge a rare home shutout, the first one since 2016.

Another of Topolie's rooks was the hero on Sunday, as Luca Boscarino drove in the winning run for a walkoff in extras. It capped off a week where the Leafs brought the thrills to the Pits.

They also played a game in London.

Wednesday, June 1, 2022 - Barrie Baycats at Toronto Maple Leafs

Zach Sloan struck out nine Baycats and led the Leafs to a rare Christie Pits shutout.

Fans who attended the Toronto Maple Leafs' first Wednesday nighter of the season got all kinds of treats.

As the sun set over Christie Pits, there was an arc of clouds over the park lit up a brilliant pink. Photogs oohed and aahed at the spectacle.

On the field, Zach Sloan led the way as four Leaf pitchers combined to shut out the visiting Barrie Baycats.

Catcher Justin Marra doubled in the bottom of the 3rd to score shortstop Jose Vinicio with the game's first and what turned out to be the winning run.

In the bottom of the 4th, centerfielder Gregory Carrington doubled to score left fielder Aidan McAskie and make it a 2-0 game.

McAskie returned in the bottom of the 6th to hit a solo home run and make it a 3-0 score.

Second baseman Dan Marra rounded off the Leafs' scoring with a solo home run of his own in the bottom of the 8th.

Calm as an accountant, Sloan went five innings and struck out nine. Rhys Montgomery was next, and he added two goose eggs to the scoreboard and struck out two. Adam Marra faced the minimum in a shutdown 8th.

As night fell, all eyes turned to the Leafs bullpen. There, closer Dustin Richardson warmed up in anticipation of making his season debut. At the end of the 8th inning, manager Damon Topolie gave the signal and Richardson walked slowly to the mound, staring down the Baycats like a guilty verdict. Richardson wears a perpetual look on his face of someone who is here to deliver all the worst news.

Richardson toyed with the Baycats' batters. He gave up a double, walk and single to load the bases. With the tying run at the plate, Barrie's travelling supporters expressed optimism. Richardson proceeded to record three outs in a row, striking the final man out swinging. That sealed the win for Sloan and a 4-0 FINAL.

Sloan was player of the game with the win and nine Ks. For the Leafs, it was their first shutout at Christie Pits since June 2016, when they whipped the Hamilton Cardinals 9-0.*

* The most recent Christie Pits shutout was during the 2018 postseason, when the Leafs lost 8-0 to the Kitchener Panthers. One may choose to believe that was all a weird dream.

Barrie 0 9 2

Toronto 4 7 0

W - Sloan (2-1, 2.40)

L - Khan (0-1, 3.00)

BOXSCORE

Friday, June 3, 2022 - Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors

The Leafs threatened late but took the loss on Friday night in London. (Image: London Majors YouTube)

Friday night at Labatt Park, Damon Topolie ran out a lineup that featured five players making their debuts with the Mapes. They faced the defending champion London Majors and starting pitcher Jose Arias.

The Majors were on the board first when Cleveland Brownlee hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 1st inning.

Arias nursed that 1-0 lead through eight innings, striking out nine Leafs along the way.

London added three runs to take a 4-0 lead into the 9th.

Arias handed the ball to his bullpen mates, who almost bungled the game away. With one out, the Leafs got singles from left fielder Grant Tamane, first baseman Jordan Castaldo, and third baseman Johnathan Solazzo. Tamane advanced home on a fielding error to foil the shutout attempt. DH Aidan McAskie added another single to score Castaldo and slice the Majors' lead in half. That was as far as the comeback got, and London escaped with a 4-2 FINAL.

Toronto 2 6 1

London 4 8 1

W - Arias (2-0, 0.72)

L - Teraoka (0-1, 1.80)

S - Ferrington (1)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, June 5, 2022 - Guelph Royals at Toronto Maple Leafs

Luca Boscarino lit up the Pits with a walkoff winner in extra innings.

All weekend long, jubilee celebrations took place across the pond, but at Christie Pits the Leafs had no time for royalty in any shape or form.

The Guelph Royals came to town for the first time this season. Hard to tell who gave them the worst welcome. Up on the hillside, the Bushmen pelted the visitors with nonstop heckling. On the field, the Leafs lost an early lead but came back to walk it off. If you ask the Royals, they might tell you the umpires gave them the most grief.

It started early, with Guelph starter Claudio Custodio walking two batters in the 1st inning. Manager Dino Roumel responded by cheerfully encouraging the home plate ump to pay closer attention to his duties. TOSSED.

Second baseman Dan Marra drove in the first run of the game with a sac fly in the bottom of the 1st.

For the Leafs, Diego Dominguez made his season debut on the mound and cruised through three perfect innings.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 4th, a wild pitch from Custodio allowed third baseman Aidan McAskie to dash home and make it a 2-0 ballgame.

As the game progressed, the visiting bench and players continued to share their opinions on the quality of umpiresmanship that was on display, believing they were on the wrong end of several calls.

The Royals rallied with runs in the 5th and 8th innings to tie the game. In the bottom of the eighth it looked like they might seize the lead. With runner J.D. Williams on third and one out, Josh Garton lofted a sac fly to left. Grant Tamane caught the ball and launched a missile towards home. Of all the luck, the ball skulled a groundhog and took a high bounce to the backstop. Williams stormed across the plate and Guelph took the lead...

...until an appeal at third base ruled that Williams had left early. Runner out, run negated, tie game. In between innings, Royals backup catcher Brendan Keys expressed gentle concern about the umpiring crew's visual capabilities. TOSSED.

The game eventually went into extras and out came the ghost runners.

In the 10th inning, both clubs cashed in their ghosts and the game remained tied 3-3 going into the 11th.

Adam Marra took to the mound for the Leafs and kept Guelph from scoring their ghost.

The stage was set for rookie right fielder Luca Boscarino to rap a clean single and drive in the winning run. The Leafs raced out to jostle and douse him with water, and the Christie Pits crowd celebrated a 4-3 FINAL.

Boscarino's walkoff earned him the player of the game honours.

Guelph 3 7 2

Toronto 4 6 1

(11 innings)

W - A. Marra (1-1, 2.16)

L - Mercado (0-2, 4.65)

BOXSCORE