Leafs Sweep to the Semis

2022 IBL Quarterfinals - Game 3

August 28 - Barrie Baycats vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs win 7-6, win the series 3-0

Dust, elation, flying helmets -- the riotous joy of a series-winning walk off.

Before we begin today's recap, let's wind the clock back a year.

On September 18, 2021, the Barrie Baycats hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 2 of a pandemic-shortened IBL semifinal series.  With a win, Toronto would advance to the finals.  To stop this from happening, Barrie sent Juan Benitez to the mound to start the game.

The Leafs destroyed him.  He was shelled for nine hits and ten runs and was knocked out of the game after 2.2 innings.  As he staggered off the field that day, Benitez wore the shattered expression of a man who'd just spent twelve hours in the front row at Altamont.

Fast forward a year.  This afternoon, the Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Barrie Baycats in Game 3 of their IBL quarterfinal series.  With a win, Toronto would advance to the semifinals.  To stop this from happening, Barrie sent Juan Benitez to the mound to start the game.  

Today, Benitez got his revenge.

In a must-win situation, he limited the Leafs to four runs over eight innings.  On the verge of victory, he returned to the mound to start the ninth inning, and set the stage for one of baseball's eternal "what ifs".

Before we get to that, let's pivot to the start of the game, where it looked like the Leafs might repeat their destruction job of a year before.

In the top of the 1st inning, the top of the order put the Leafs ahead immediately.  Shortstop Jose Vinicio walked, catcher Justin Marra singled, and they both stole a base.  First baseman Jordan Castaldo cashed in a run with a double.  Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo cashed in another and it was 2-0 Leafs after one inning.

Sam Greene started on the mound for the Leafs, and went unscathed through the first three innings.

Castaldo drew a walk in the bottom of the 3rd inning, and moved to third on a single by Solazzo.  A double by right fielder Marcus Knecht scored Castaldo and the Leafs enjoyed a 3-0 lead through three.

With the Baycats' season on the brink, Ryan Rijo tied the game with a three-run homer in the 4th inning.  His trip around the bases came complete with a power point to the Bushmen, who rode him and his teammates all afternoon.

In the bottom of the 4th, DH Damon Topolie led off with a single.  Left fielder Gregory Carrington followed with another single, moving Topolie to third.  A sac fly by catcher Justin Marra brought Topolie home and the Leafs retook the lead 4-3.

Barrie would not go down without a fight.  They immediately re-tied the game in the top of the 5th, when Carson Burns hit a home run off reliever Marek Deska.

The game remained tied until the top of the 8th, when Royce Ando hit a solo home run off Deska.  Chris Nagorski came in from the pen, but gave up another run to give the Baycats a 6-4 lead after eight innings.

Throughout the game, Benitez returned to the mound at the bottom of each inning and he did so again to start the 9th.  The Leafs were down to their final three outs after a long, trying weekend, but they came through again.  Topolie led off with a single and Grant Tamane replaced him at first as pinch runner.  Carrington followed with another single, putting two men aboard.  That was the moment that Benitez got the hook, replaced on the mound by Brandon Hillier.  And all hell followed for Barrie.

Vinicio dropped down a bunt to load the bases.  Castaldo singled to score a run and make it 6-5.  Hillier recorded two strikeouts, and Knecht returned to the plate.  Hillier worked a 2-2 count, bringing the Leafs down to their final strike, and then Knecht connected for a two-run, game-winning, series-clinching single.  Carrington scored easily and Vinicio was right behind him, sliding home with the winning run.  

Dust, elation, flying helmets.  The Pits exploded.  The Leafs poured onto the field to mob Knecht, who had just punched his team's ticket to the semifinals.  He was the hero of the moment for sure, but as with every game in this fantastic series, it was a total team effort. 

7-6 was the FINAL score.  Baycat fans will have all winter to ponder whether or not Benitez should have gotten the hook.  Was he out of gas or could he have toughed it out in the 9th to give Barrie a win?  We'll never know.

Three wins in three days, kolossal!  The Leafs and their rooters ended a memorable weekend in triumph.  They can take a well-deserved breather this week and await confirmation of their semifinal opponent.

Barrie 6 9 0

Toronto 7 13 0

W - Nagorski (1-0, 6.00)

L - Hillier (0-1, 13.50)

BOXSCORE

The Maple Leafs advance to the 2022 IBL semifinals.  The schedule is TBC for now, but the next series is expected to begin sometime at the end of this week.  Everyone can enjoy a well-deserved breather.

Going Hard

2022 IBL Quarterfinals - Game 2

August 27 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats

Leafs win 6-3, lead the series 2-0

Marcus Knecht's feet barely touch the ground as chugs for home on a day when runners were flying around the bases.

Pitchers gutting it out.  Batters battling.

Fielders racing for flyballs as if they were prizes from a T-shirt cannon.

Runners flying around the basepaths like some out of control funpark ride.

Two teams playing hard makes for great baseball and a great 2022 quarterfinal series so far.

Fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs are extra satisfied after their boys won 6-3 on the road yesterday afternoon.  The Leafs now enjoy a 2-0 series lead over the Barrie Baycats.

The game began with Toronto's fearsome Dustin Richardson on the mound.  He pitched the first four innings and surrendered just one run.  D-Rich struck out seven and induced at least one or two batters into an existential crisis.

Brad Grieveson started on the mound for Barrie.  Toronto got five hits over the first two innings and stranded five runners.  They finally scored in the third.  Singles by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo, centerfielder Connor Lewis and second baseman Dan Marra loaded the bases.  A grounder to third by catcher Damon Topolie was bobbled, allowing Solazzo to score and make it 1-0.

The Barries tied it 1-1 in the 4th inning before the Torontos retook the lead.  In the top of the 5th, right fielder Marcus Knecht singled, then chugged home on a triple by Lewis.  A sac fly by Marra plated Lewis and the Leafs led 3-1 through five.

The Leafs edged away with two more runs in the 6th.  Left fielder Greg Carrington ripped a triple to start the inning, then trotted home on a single by shortstop Jose Vinicio.  Vinicio worked the bases like a man whose car is parked illegally.  He stole second, which is almost a given once he's on base.  Then, with Solazzo at the plate, he took off for third.  Solazzo smacked a grounder and was out at first, but Vinicio kept going all the way around and slid home to give the Leafs a 5-1 lead through six.

Richardson turned the ball over to Dylan Jacober, who pitched three innings and gave up a run.

Chris Nagorski pitched the 8th and his first pitch was belted over the fence by Ryan Rijo.  Other than that he was perfect.

Toronto added one more run in the top of the 9th.  Lewis singled and eventually came around to score on an RBI single by Topolie.  Topps was out there playing his guts out like a 20-year-old and his teammates showed their appreciation.  He racked up three hits on the day including a double.  Lewis, Knecht and first baseman Jordan Castaldo also recorded three hits as part of Toronto's 18-hit barrage.

Franklin Hernandez entered to pitch the bottom of the 9th and he retired the side.  He got the Baycats' final batter to strike out swinging to complete a 6-3 FINAL for the Leafs.

Toronto 6 18 0

Barrie 3 8 1

W - Jacober (1-0, 3.00)

L - Grieveson (0-1, 7.20)

S - Hernandez (2)

BOXSCORE

The series continues today at Christie Pits.  Game 3 goes at 2:00 pm local time.