Mapes Move On

IBL Quarterfinals - Game 4 - August 29-30, 2023

Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals

Toronto 10

Guelph 4

Toronto wins the series 3-1

Dan Marra was one of seven Leafs to cross home plate during the second inning of Game 4, a rally that decided the game and the series.

It took four games spread across five days for the Toronto Maple Leafs to defeat the Guelph Royals and advance to the next round of the 2023 IBL postseason.

Last night at Hastings Stadium, the marvelous Mapes completed a 10-4 victory and took a 3-1 quarterfinal series win over the Royals.

Game 4 began on Tuesday night and the Leafs built up an 8-4 lead before the game was suspended by rain.

Wilgenis Alvarado started on the mound against Claudio Custodio, a talismanic figure in the Royals organization.  

After spending most of the season toiling near the bottom of the standings, the Royals came to life when the 2022 MVP rejoined the club in late July.  "The season starts now!" was the vibe at Hastings, as the club climbed up to fifth place and a quarterfinals date with the Leafs.

Unfortunately for the Royals, they asked too much of Custodio.  Having pitched five innings just 48 hours before, the Dominican import was tapped to start the game.  He played an epic first inning, retiring the Leafs 1-2-3 before going to bat as DH.  A shaky start by Alvarado saw him hit a batter and walk another.  Custodio then drove them both in with a single and the Royals went ahead 2-0 after the first inning.

In the top of the second, Custodio ran out of gas and the Royals season unraveled.

DH Garrett Takamatsu was hit by a pitch to start the inning.  Second baseman Dan Marra walked.  Left fielder Jesse Hodges hit a single to score Takamatsu.  Custodio then walked right fielder Ryan Santos to load the bases.  With two outs, he walked shortstop Jose Vinicio to bring home a run, then walked catcher Justin Marra to put the Leafs ahead.  That ended Custodio's night on the mound.  Yuki Narita relieved him and the Leafs blew the game open.  First baseman Jordan Castaldo hit a two-run single and Takamatsu followed with a two-run double.  The Leafs roared out to a 7-2 lead through two innings.

In the bottom of the third, Custodio made his presence felt again.  He singled in his third run of the night to make it 7-3.

Top of the fourth, Jared Kennedy took over on the mound for Guelph.  A sac fly by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo made it an 8-3 game.

Bottom of the fourth, the Royals' Chris Robinson hit a solo home run through the drizzle and made it 8-4.

Then, the drizzle became a steady rain.  Earlier in the game, a 30-second rain delay briefly halted proceedings.  Both clubs slogged through a soggy fifth inning before the game was suspended.

Play resumed the following night.  The final four innings were a formality. Guelph was unable to do any damage to relievers Julian Valdez, Adam Marra and Marek Deska.  They combined to pitch four scoreless.

The Leafs added a couple of late runs and wrapped up a 10-4 win.  Throughout the series they benefitted from a lot of runs gifted them by Guelph, but a high-scoring performance in Game 4 provided a nice exclamation point and momentum for the next series.

Toronto 10 7 0

Guelph 4 7 0

W - Alvarado (1-1, 5.40)

L - Custodio (1-1, 5.06)

BOXSCORE

Up next... we don't know yet.  The Leafs join the Welland Jackfish and Barrie Baycats in advancing to the semifinals.  The fourth club will be either the Kitchener Panthers or London Majors, and their series wraps up tonight.  The semifinals schedule will be released shortly after.

Game 4 to Continue Back in Guelph

The rain-soaked scene at Hastings Stadium last night.

After some considerable delay, it's official: Quarterfinal Game 4 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Guelph Royals will pick up at the same place where it left off.

At 7:30 pm tonight at Hastings Stadium in Guelph, the game will resume in the top of the sixth inning.

The current situation has the Leafs leading the game 8-4.  A win would send them on to the semifinals.

I don't know the rules of baseball well enough to know whether the following scenario is possible.  I'm wondering if the Royals would be permitted to go to the well for a fourth time this series and send Claudio Custodio back to the mound on (looks at clock) 23 hours rest.  Custodio started the game as pitcher and designated hitter.  He was relieved on the mound but remains in the game as DH.  Could he conceivably be rotated into a playing position on the field?  I have no idea, but what a story that would make.

Anyway, let's go Leafs!  Wrap it up tonight!

Rain Again, Nothing Settled

IBL Quarterfinals - Game 4 - August 29, 2023

Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals

Game postponed due to weather

With tonight's game moments away from being postponed, Bushman Ray Natale beseeches the rain to ease off.

The weather is doing a number on this series.

Tonight's game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Guelph Royals at Hastings Stadium -- with the home team facing elimination -- has been suspended by rain.

The game was halted in the top of the sixth inning with the Leafs leading 8-4.  By then, all sorts of wild scenes had played out.  I'll save the details for the eventual recap.

The umps called things off around 10:05 pm, during the second rain delay of the night.

With four innings still to be played, the outcome of this one hangs in the balance.  The Royals pledged to announce the specifics of the restart on their social media channels as soon as confirmed.

Until then, here are some scenes from a rain-soaked night in Guelph.

An amusing drizzle became an obnoxious downpour as the night went on.

The Maple Leafs took cover while awaiting the umpire's decision whether to resume or not.

Bushmen Garret and Elliot Hill discussed the Doppler situation with Royals first baseman Josh Garton.

The Bushmen also connected with Maple Leafs ninth inning undertaker Dustin Richardson.

Sunday Split

IBL Quarterfinals - Games 1 and 3 - August 27, 2023

Guelph Royals at Toronto Maple Leafs

Game 1 (resumed from Thursday)

Guelph 5

Toronto 0

Game 3

Toronto 6

Guelph 5

Toronto leads series 2-1

Justin Marra scores the go-ahead run in Game 3 -- the Leafs would take the win and the series lead.

After a Thursday night thunderstorm forced a reshuffling of the quarterfinal series schedule, the Guelph Royals returned to Christie Pits to play out Game 1 and then do battle in Game 3.

Fans were treated to a Sunday split as the Toronto Maple Leafs lost one and won the other.

The Leafs have the opportunity to wrap the series up tomorrow night in Guelph.  Until then, here's the recap of all the Sunday action.

Game 1 

Claudio Custodio imposed himself on both halves of Game 1 to craft a complete game shutout.

What Claudio Custodio began, Claudio Custodio ended.

After blanking the Leafs through four innings Thursday night, the Guelph Royals ace returned to the mound Sunday and finished off a complete game shutout of the Leafs.

When the thunderstorm rolled in and halted the game, the Royals were leading 2-0 in the fifth inning.

A first inning sac fly by Malik Collymore put them ahead, and a solo home run by Josh Garton made it 2-0 in the fifth.

Wilgenis Alvarado had started on the mound for Toronto.  The two earned runs he surrendered on Thursday were in keeping with his IBL-leading average.  However, the story of this game was Custodio's mastery on the mound.

Whether in stormy night or sunny day, the Leafs could barely make a mark on Guelph's hurler.  He scattered seven hits and four walks, but struck out nine and strung nine goose eggs across the scoreboard.  The Leafs stranded seven baserunners.

Marek Deska picked up the game on Sunday.  He matched Custodio for scoreless innings until the ninth.  A single by Garton added two more runs for Guelph, and an error by shortstop Jose Vinicio let another run cross the plate.

Guelph took the game 5-0 and Custodio took the win.  Alvarado got the L.  After a 30-minute intermission, the clubs returned to the field for Game 3.

Guelph 5 8 0

Toronto 0 7 2

W - Custodio (1-0, 0.00)

L - Alvarado (0-1, 3.60)

BOXSCORE

Game 3 

Dustin gets dusted off by his teammates, after pitcher Richardson dove to catch a pop-up bunt for the first out of the ninth inning.

The second game of the day, and third of the series, was a tight affair.

The Pits were stingy, yielding just one home run and that to the visitors.  The Leafs hit several long flies that were caught at the fence.  The game came down to which club could make the most of its opportunities.

Sunday starter Daniel Procopio toed the rubber against the Royals' Kyle Thomas, who was showered with heckling from the Bushmen all afternoon.

The Leafs got on the board first.  In the bottom of the third inning, shortstop Jose Vinicio doubled, took third on a dropped third strike, and scored on a wild pitch.  Skinny with the run, Bushmen with the assist.

Guelph got the run back in the top of the fourth, when Josh Garton led off with his second home run of the series.

Toronto reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame.  Left fielder Jesse Hodges reached on an error.  Second baseman Dan Marra singled.  Both runners advanced on a wild pitch ("He doesn't like the noise!  He doesn't like the noise!").  A sac fly by right fielder Gregory Carrington scored Hodges, and a double by Vinicio scored Marra.  The rally made it 3-1 Leafs after four.

Procopio got into trouble in the top of the sixth, giving up three runs on four hits.  The Royals went ahead 4-3.

In the top of the seventh, Malik Collymore doubled in a run off reliever Chris Nagorski.  That gave the Royals a 5-3 lead and they began to dream of a Sunday sweep.

Toronto stormed back in the bottom of the seventh.  Centerfielder Ryan Santos led off with a double, but he was erased on a fielder's choice that put Carrington on first.  After enduring an afternoon of creative abuse from the hillside, Thomas was relieved by Yomar Concepcion.  Guelph's dream immediately became a nightmare.  Vinicio singled, catcher Justin Marra walked to load the bases, and first baseman Jordan Castaldo was hit by a pitch.  One run was in and Guelph manager Dino Roumel was out with a quick hook.  Concepcion was relieved by Brandon Deans.  With the bases still loaded, DH Garrett Takamatsu singled in the tying run.  Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo was up next, and he delivered the game-winning RBI on a groundout.  Marra crossed the plate to give the Leafs a 6-5 lead through seven.

Toronto manager Rob Butler signaled for Adam Marra from the pen.  Marra delivered a scoreless eighth.  The Leafs failed to add to their lead in the bottom of the inning, and it was on to the ninth, Guelph's last chance to steal a sweep.

The tolling of a bell heralded the appearance of Leafs closer Dustin Richardson.  Stone-faced and gigantic, he took to the mound.  His first pitch was bunted high along the first base line.  Richardson sprinted to the line and made a diving, rolling catch.  Christie Pits went bananas.  With Pigpen-like clouds of dust floating around him, Richardson took a few moments to compose himself while his teammates dusted him off.  He returned to the mound and struck out the next batter.  A harmless grounder produced the third out and the Leafs sealed the 6-5 victory.  Nagorski scooped up the win, Richardson the save and Concepcion the loss.

Guelph 5 9 3

Toronto 6 8 2

W - Nagorski (1-0, 9.00)

L - Concepcion (0-1, 99.99)

S - Richardson (1)

BOXSCORE

The series returns to the Royal City on Tuesday night.  The Leafs will be looking to close it out in Game 4.  The first pitch at Hastings Stadium will be delivered at 7:30 pm.