On the Christie Hillside: Testicular Fortitude

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - July 25 to 31, 2022

Week 11 was a roller coaster for the boys of the Pits - big games, big losses, big wins.

Dylan Jacober went five strong on Sunday as the Maple Leafs beat the Welland Jackfish to split their weekend series.

Somebody start up one of those online petitions.

The IBL needs to schedule more Wednesday nighters at Christie Pits.

Expand the season to 50 games. Award more franchises. Have the little leaguers from the diamond next door play the Leafs, I don't care. More night games, more baseball, more fun!

This week's sunset clash between the Leafs and the Barrie Baycats was the funnest of the year. A massive crowd descended on the Pits. Those courteous idols in the home whites administered a shitkicking to their old rivals. Good game, good peeps, good music, and good vibes carried through the night.

We all of us need more of this. Are you hearing me Mr. Kastner sir?

Week 11 wrapped up with a home-and-home series that tested the Leafs' mettle against the league's top team, the Welland Jackfish. A harrowing away experience on Saturday could have thrown the boys into a brutal skid. However they bounced right back on Sunday with a great win to cap the week.

Here's how it all went down.

Wednesday, July 27 - Barrie Baycats at Toronto Maple Leafs

Connor Lewis greets Damon Topolie after the wiliest of veterans reached base on a bunt single and scored as part of a three-run second inning.

Testicular fortitude.

These two words best describe the Maple Leafs' Wednesday night performance against the Barrie Baycats.

From both sides of the plate, the boys put on some ballsy displays to win in a rout.

The Leafs faced and overcame adversity right from the first inning. Not gone are the days when the Baycats would rock up to Christie Pits and take an instant lead. It's practically a cliché, and there they were again, grabbing a 2-0 lead on a home run by Ryan Rijo. Singed but not burned, Zach Sloan hunkered down after that, pitching five strong innings and striking out six en route to his fourth win of the season.

In the bottom of the 1st, catcher Justin Marra put the Leafs on the board with a solo home run, his team-leading eleventh on the year. Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo followed with a double. Throughout the month of July, Solazzo demonstrated that he simply cannot be contained. After the double he advanced and roared home on a wild pitch by Barrie starter Adam Khan. Just like that it was tied 2-2 after one.

The Mapes moved ahead in the bottom of the 2nd. Second baseman Dan Marra and left fielder Luca Boscarino both singled. DH Damon Topolie, the wiliest of veterans, dropped a beautiful bunt down the third base line, rumbled to first and beat the throw. The bunt seemed to catch the entire ballpark off guard. Up in the broadcast tent, Leaf announcers Thomas West and Ryan Eakin erupted in deranged laughter at the audacity of it all. Everyone felt the same way. With the bases loaded, right fielder Gregory Carrington singled in Marra. Up next, shortstop Jose Vinicio singled in Boscarino. Justin Marra then launched a sac fly that brought Topolie home and put the Leafs ahead 5-2.

In the bottom of the 4th, Solazzo and first baseman Aidan McAskie both singled off Khan. Centerfielder Connor Lewis drove them both in with a 2-RBI single and extended the Leafs' lead to 7-2.

The Baycats scored one more run in the top of the 5th to make it 7-3. Only a fool would have thought this lead was safe.

Toronto kept pressing and got to reliever Brad Grieveson in the bottom of the 7th. Lewis and Dan Marra both singled to start the inning. Boscarino then delivered the fatal blow to the 'Cats, hitting a three-run missile over the centerfield fence that sent people in the skatepark scrambling for their lives. As he rounded second, Boscarino gave the now-familiar power point to the Bushmen up on the hillside. In reality he was saluting a small village whose population had grown with each inning, probably the largest contingent of fans in that section of the ballpark all season. The Leafs now led 10-3 and the festive mood was dialed up.

The ballsiest display of them all came in the 8th inning. Dylan Jacober had relieved Sloan after the 5th, pitching two scoreless innings. He handed the ball to Ryan Wells, who got into a jam by giving up a pair of walks and a single. Wells then showed nerves of steel by striking out the next three batters in a row. The final two went down swinging, the ballpark collectively exhaled and the festivities resumed.

The Leafs put two more on the board in the bottom of the 8th, and Franklin Hernandez mopped up in the 9th for a 12-3 FINAL.

Barrie 3 7 2

Toronto 12 18 1

W - Sloan (4-2, 3.49)

L - Khan (3-3, 5.24)

BOXSCORE

Some pix from the Wednesday nighter...

Saturday, July 30 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Welland Jackfish

Dan Marra leaves the game after taking a hard-hit grounder to the face. (image: Welland Jackfish YouTube)

Worst defeat of the season. What else is there to say, other than...

Six, count 'em, six errors, that sunk any hopes the Maple Leafs might have had to win at the Pond in Welland.

That, and losing starting second baseman Dan Marra to injury when they already had a short bench.

That, and losing their DH for the final third of the game.

That, and running smack into the ballclub with the IBL's highest scoring differential at +144 compared to the Leafs' +45.

That, and getting pounded for 14 hits and 13 runs.

That, and being one-hit by the Jackfish.

It was real horrorshow. Better to happen now than in September I guess?

It didn't begin this way. Starters Jake Harford and Angel Castro cruised through two scoreless innings to start the game.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Castro surrendered a double and a run to give the Jackfish a 1-0 lead.

Toronto tied the game in the top of the 4th. Catcher Justin Marra drew a leadoff walk and was eventually driven in on a single by brother Dan.

Welland retook the lead with two runs in the bottom of the 4th, then steadily pulled away. They scored two more in the 5th, before a nightmare 6th inning for the Leafs when eight more runs went on the board.

It was in the 6th inning when Dan Marra took a hard-hit grounder to the face and had to leave the game.

Skipper Damon Topolie shuffled his fielders, sending DH Dawson Parks to the outfield as Grant Tamane moved in to play second. Castro was forced to bat in the 7th and he flew out. Reliever Adam Marra batted in the 9th and struck out to end the game. A game best forgotten as soon as possible.

Toronto 1 1 6

Welland 13 14 2

W - Harford (9-1, 2.87)

L - Castro (2-3, 7.82)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, July 31 - Welland Jackfish at Toronto Maple Leafs

It would take more than a mere baseball to the face to keep Dan Marra away from the Pits on Sunday.

People naturally assume a holiday long weekend will bring huge crowds to local attractions and sporting venues.

In Toronto it's the opposite -- the city clears out. A sparse crowd was on hand the Sunday before the civic holiday, but the hillsides filled in as the game went on. Everybody witnessed a great bounce back win by the Maple Leafs after the previous evening's dark interlude.

Speaking of testicular fortitude. Holy Chumbawamba, Dan Marra got knocked down and he got up again.

Less than 24 hours after a baseball to the face took him out of a game, Marra was back on the Leafs bench, in uniform though not in the lineup. His presence clearly lifted his teammates, who shut down the Welland Jackfish in the final game of this season's Pond-Pits series.

Manager Damon Topolie drew up a bullpen game, sending Sam Greene to the mound to pitch the first two innings. Greene retired all six batters he faced.

The Leafs scored in the bottom of the 1st. Catcher Justin Marra singled and moved to second on a walk by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo. Left fielder Aidan McAskie then drove him in with a single and it was 1-0 Leafs.

The lead was extended in the bottom of the 2nd. Second baseman Grant Tamane reached on a walk, advanced on a walk by shortstop Jose Vinicio, and scored on an RBI single by Justin Marra.

After two innings, Greene handed the ball to Dylan Jacober who received a rude welcome by the league's hottest hitting team. The Jackfish tallied two runs on a pair of hits, an error and a wild pitch. The score was 2-2 after three innings.

The Leafs broke the tie in the bottom of the 5th. Solazzo, McAskie and Topolie all singled to load the bases, and a fielder's choice by Tamane brought Solazzo across the plate. 3-2 Leafs through five.

Jacober shut down the Jackfish after the third inning, and he ended up going five strong. Franklin Hernandez came on to pitch the 8th and he struck out three.

The Leafs gave Hernandez some breathing room in the bottom of the 8th. Justin Marra walked and DH Jordan Castaldo singled. They both came in to score off the bat of McAskie, who reached second on an error by the Jackfish. 5-2 Leafs was the score with three outs to get.

Hernandez got those three outs, retiring Welland in order to secure the 5-2 FINAL and a win for Jacober.

This one might go as one of the most important wins of the season. A bounce back after a bad loss, with everyone stepping up.

Welland 2 7 1

Toronto 5 12 2

W - Jacober (4-0, 4.73)

L - Bouillere-Howard (2-1, 5.49)

S - Hernandez (1)

BOXSCORE