Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - June 12 to 18, 2023
The Toronto Maple Leafs added a pair of wins to their record and kept the good times rolling in Week 5.
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| Big smiling Jose Vinicio receives a big smiling welcome from his teammates after bopping his first home run of the season on Sunday at Christie Pits. (photo: Craig Aikin) |
Terrifying scenes at Christie Pits this week, as an Atlantic Tsunami touched down on the infield and postponed the scheduled Wednesday Nighter.
Debate erupted, as it is wont to do, on social media. Some questioned the veracity of the tsunami report, others defended it. Photographic evidence was hotly disputed. Ultimately, the field was declared unsalvageable and the contest will be played another night.
As lines of bucket-wielding volunteers worked all week to drain Dominico Field, the Toronto Maple Leafs - sensational, irresistible! - played the remaining two games on their Week 5 schedule.
They won both games. On Friday night, they rolled down to London. There, they continued to wreak terrible revenge on the defending IBL champions, beating the Majors for the third time this season.
By the time Sunday rolled around, the Pits had been restored to their timeless glory, and the Leafs crushed Brantford.
And now here's the recap of Week 5 in Toronto Maple Leafs baseball.
Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - Barrie Baycats at Toronto Maple Leafs - RAINED OUT
Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! etc etc.
This week's Wednesday Nighter was rained out and will be played at a later date.
Friday, June 16 - Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors
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| The marvelous Mapes slap hands after beating the London Majors on Friday night. (image: London Majors YouTube) |
This was truly a tale of two games. A diamond of mirrors. A boxscore palindrome. I don't know where this was supposed to be going.
Friday night at Labatt Memorial Park, the Toronto Maple Leafs resumed their revenge tour against the London Majors. Over the first four and one-half innings of this game, they ran up a 7-0 score over the home side.
Sam Greene pitched five beautiful innings, surrendering just two hits and one run while striking out six.
RBIs were notched by centerfielder J.J. Dutton (2), third baseman Johnathan Solazzo (1) right fielder David Alvarez (1) and left fielder Yoichi Ishihara (1).
Over the last four and one-half innings of this game, the Leafs and their nation of followers white knuckled it. London clawed back run after run from the relief tandem of newcomer Julian Tymochko and Julian Valdez. The hurlers gave up four runs over three innings and the Majors made it a 7-5 game after eight.
Wilgenis Alvarado continues to round into form. The Leafs' new closer pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out three in a row to earn his first save of the season and give Greene his third win.
Toronto 7 8 1
London 5 7 0
W - Greene (3-1, 4.84)
L - Benitez (0-1, 20.25)
S - Alvarado (1)
Saturday, June 18 - Brantford Red Sox at Toronto Maple Leafs
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| Daniel Procopio earned his second win of the season with a dominant performance over the Brantford Red Sox. (photo: Craig Aikin) |
Jeff Lounsbury you magnificent bastard.
In February you signed on as the Toronto Maple Leafs new general manager and pledged to restore most of the core that went to two consecutive IBL finals.
You restored the core. Then you brought back some more. And now you have practically put the entire band back together.
For those who don't feverishly refresh the IBL website's transactions page minute to minute, here is the latest news. Over the past few weeks the Maple Leafs have re-signed Connor Lewis, Grant Tamane and Garrett Takamatsu. Once again, all three are wearing the most celebrated V-neck in baseball.
Prior to Sunday, Lewis and Tamane had already seen playing time. On Father's Day, it was Takamatsu's turn and he picked up right where he left off, going two-for-three at the plate with one RBI and two runs scored.
It's almost discourteous to describe another beatdown of the Brantford Red Sox here. The struggling franchise came to Christie Pits with a 2-12 record, and they lost 12-2.
Daniel Procopio pitched five and two-thirds of an inning en route to his second win of the seaosn. He gave up three hits and one earned run while striking out five. Adam Marra, James Wilson and Ryan Wells put the Sox away over the remaining three and one-third.
Eight out of nine Leaf batters recorded at least one RBI. Johnathan Solazzo led the way with his seventh home run and three ribbies, giving him 25 on the season. The Leafs' third baseman is tied atop the league leaderboard in both categories with players from Kitchener.
Each of the following drove in one run for Toronto: second baseman Takamatsu, first baseman Jordan Castaldo, catcher Justin Marra, left fielder Yoichi Ishihara, centerfielder J.J. Dutton, right fielder Gregory Carrington, and shortstop Jose Vinicio who hit his first home run of the season to the delight of all present.
Brantford 2 7 2
Toronto 12 16 1
W - Procopio (2-0, 6.50)
L - Sucre (1-4, 7.00)
Five weeks into the season, the Maple Leafs enjoy a 10-5 record and they remain two games back of the Welland Jackfish in the IBL standings.
The week ahead:
Thursday, June 22 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats, 7:35 pm at Vintage Throne Stadium
Saturday, June 24 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox, 8:00 pm at Arnold Anderson Stadium
Sunday, June 25 - Welland Jackfish vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 2:00 pm at Christie Pits
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