Armed and Dangerous

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - June 17 to 23, 2025

The Leafs finish Week Six riding a four-game win streak

The story of Week Six was Maple Leafs pitching getting it done.  Clockwise from top left: Wilgenis Alvarado, Luis Florentino, Drew Howard and Adam Jafine. (file photos)

If a tree falls at Christie Pits and no one is there, does it make a sound?

A century-old elm tree on Barton Avenue right behind the ballpark has appeared in many photos on this website.  In the shot below, the gigantic tree can be seen in the background, looming behind a closer one on the north slope where many fans sit in the shade.

This spring, the tree stopped producing leaves and appeared to be dead.  After conducting an analysis, the municipal department of parks and public containment declared that the tree now posed a hazard to Barton Avenue and surrounding properties and would have to come down.

That tree witnessed every single Toronto Maple Leafs game ever played at Christie Pits.  Last week, down it came with no one around to mark the occasion.  The Leafs' only home game was rained out.

Photo May 11, 2025

Photo June 23, 2025

(image: theibl.ca)

Hamilton will host the 2025 IBL All-Star Showdown on Sunday, July 20th at 7:30 PM at Bernie Arbour Stadium. 

This annual summer event will once again feature the North vs. South format, showcasing the league’s best talent in a highly anticipated midseason showdown. Just like last year, fans will vote to decide the North and South teams.

Online voting is now open.  Click this link and help send an army of Leafs to the All-Star Game.

Turning now to Canada's most exciting baseball team, the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Sensational!  Irresistible!)

Have the Mapes turned a corner?  A week ago, I was here lamenting their bloated runs-allowed numbers (highest in the IBL) and being all anxious that they'd have to score 10 runs a game just to have a chance.

This week, Leafs pitching came up big time.

Three road games, three wins.  Quality pitching throughout.

In Brantford, they gave up just two runs.  Wilgenis Alvarado was back on ace form.

In Welland, they gave up just two runs.  Luis Florentino, Nathan Currah and Dustin Richardson teamed up to lock down the league's highest-scoring offence.

In Hamilton, they gave up just one run.  Adam Jafine and Drew Howard overcame brutal heat wave conditions to stymie the Cardinals.

Three games does not a season make.  It barely makes a trend.  But the Leafs are suddenly looking armed and dangerous as they continue to climb the standings.

On the other side of the plate, who else but Jordan Castaldo produced another MVP weekend.

The Leafs' first baseman went 5-for-9, batting .555 over three games.  He drove in eight runs, scored seven and hit three home runs.

As stingy as the Leafs were on the mound, they continued to terrorize opposing pitchers, racking up 28 runs in three games.  On the season, they have now scored just five fewer than the league-leading Welland Jackfish.

And now, here is the recap of Week Six in Leafs baseball.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - Kitchener Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs

The waterlogged visitors' bench after a rainout. (file photo)

The Leafs' scheduled Wednesday Nighter against the Kitchener Panthers was rained out.

The makeup game will be played on Saturday, July 5th, 2:00 pm at Christie Pits.

Friday, June 20, 2025 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox 

The Leafs celebrate Rando Moreno's three-run homer. (image: Brantford Red Sox YouTube)

On Friday night, two clubs moving in different directions met at Arnold Anderson Stadium.

The Toronto Maple Leafs came to town and had their way with the Brantford Red Sox, taking a 15-2 victory.  Unlike these clubs' previous matchup, which the Leafs won in a wild ninth inning comeback, this one was never in doubt.

Wilgenis Alvarado frustrated Brantford bats over the first five innings, giving up one run on three hits while striking out five.

In the top of the second inning, RBI singles by catcher Justin Marra and centerfielder Kalayo Shaw put the Leafs ahead 2-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, two hits and a sac fly by Christian Ortega made it a 2-1 score.  That was as close as the home side would get, as the visitors pulled further and further away in the second half of the game.

Shaw opened the top of the fifth with a single.  Three batters later, he scored from third on a wild pitch by Brantford starter Nicholai Arbach.  Later in the inning, shortstop Rando Moreno smashed an Arbach offering over the fence in right -- a three-run shot that made it 6-1.

One inning later, the Leafs dumped the Sox into the hamper for good.  They victimized a pair of relievers for seven runs on five hits.  RBIs were recorded by left fielder Ryan Dos Santos, first baseman Jordan Castaldo (2), right fielder Marcus Knecht, second baseman Spenser Ross, and DH Spencer MacInnis.  Justin Marra scored on a wild pitch to round things off and the Leafs led 13-1 after six innings.

In the seventh, the Leafs added two more runs to make it 15-1.  Pinch hitter Dennis Dei Baning drove in one of the runs.

All night long it seemed that Leaf bats kept finding holes while Sox bats kept finding gloves.

Alvarado was done after five innings.  Three relievers went the rest of the way: Matt Brown made his IBL debut and pitched two scoreless.  Marek Deska pitched a perfect eighth.  Ayami Sato wrapped up the ninth, giving up one run on two hits and recording her sixth strikeout of the season.

The game ended 15-2.  Alvarado earned his first win of the season while Arbach took the loss.

Toronto 15 12 0

Brantford 2 6 1

W - Alvarado (1-0, 5.57)

L - Arbach (0-2, 4.76)

BOXSCORE

Saturday, June 21, 2025 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Welland Jackfish

Dustin Richardson recorded four strikeouts in two innings to nail down a Leafs victory in Welland. (image: Welland Jackfish YouTube)

Saturday night in the Rose City, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced -- and passed -- their toughest assignment of the weekend.

They went into Welland Stadium and beat the first place Jackfish 5-2.

So far this season, the Fish had allowed an average of 3.2 runs per game.  The Leafs used opportunistic hitting to surpass that mark, with first baseman Jordan Castaldo homering twice, including a game-winning swat.

On the mound, Luis Florentino and Nathan Currah combined to give up two runs off ten hits over seven innings.  Dustin Richardson closed out the game by striking out four batters over two innings, presenting further evidence of his return to dominance.

Over seven innings, the game was close.  

In the first inning, Florentino served up a solo homer to Jonah Weisner.  

In the second inning, a sac fly off the bat of right fielder Dennis Dei Baning tied the game 1-1.

Bottom of four, Weisner was back in the mix.  He led off with a single, ended up on third after a wild pitch and another single, then scored on a double play.  2-1 Welland through four.

Euclides Leyer pitched the first five innings for Welland, then handed the ball to Ben Abram to start the sixth.  The first batter he faced was Castaldo, who took two balls then launched a high one over the fence in center.  2-2 through six.

Florentino was relieved by Currah after five.  The rookie pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh.

Top of the eighth, with one Leaf on and one out, the Jackfish went to their closer Deivy Mendez.  Once again, the first batter he would face was Castaldo.  Once again, Castaldo stepped to the plate in his usual deliberate fashion and took two balls.  Once again, Castaldo stunned the raucus ballpark into silence by blasting a home run.  This one sailed past the scoreboard in left, scoring two runs and putting the Leafs ahead 4-2.

Currah returned to start the bottom of the eighth but got into a jam by giving up a pair of singles.  As the setting sun cast long shadows over the entire field, a taller, darker shadow fell upon the pitcher's mound.  Dustin Richardson entered the game tasked with getting six outs.

Richardson battled Matteo Porcellato in a seven-pitch at-bat before striking him out.  The next two batters flied out to end the threat.

Mendez was not his old self.  In the top of the ninth, he gave up a double to Dei Baning, then watched as second baseman Spenser Ross dropped a bunt that catcher Robert Mullen could not field in time.  With Dei Baning on third, DH Jhon Javier hit a sac fly to bring him home and make it 5-2 Leafs.

Bottom of the ninth, three outs from a Leafs win in hostile territory.  Richardson returned to the mound and the Jackfish put two men aboard, courtesy of a walk and a single.  That just made him mad.  He struck out the next three batters in a row to end the game and earn his second save of the year.  Currah was on the winning end of the 5-2 FINAL, while Abram took the loss.

Toronto 5 8 1

Welland 2 11 0

W - Currah (1-0, 5.62)

L - Abram (2-2, 4.22)

S - Richardson (2)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, June 22, 2025 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals

Two Leafs Legends Reunited: Former Leaf Johnathan Solazzo exchanges greetings with Jordan Castaldo following a second-inning walk. (image: Cable 14 Hamilton)

The Toronto Maple Leafs finished their weekend road trip in Hamilton on the hottest day of the year.  

Their week-long hot streak continued as they ended up cruising back down the mountain with an 8-1 victory in the books.

The gametime temperature at Bernie Arbour Stadium was reportedly 32 C, and even hotter on the field with nowhere to hide.

The Cardinals put on their usual fan-friendly spectacle, with lots of pregame hoopla, including a souvenir train whistle giveaway in honour of third baseman Johnathan "The Conductor" Solazzo.

It was also a throwback day.  The Cardinals switched to one of their old monikers, the Thunderbirds, and took to the field wearing sleveless uniforms reminiscent of the one made famous by Cincinnati Reds slugger Ted Kluszewski.  

Ted Kluszewski. (image: Topps, 1957)

Sun's out, guns out.

As the game got underway, the players on both teams jointly faced an additional opponent in the brutal heat.

"It was incredibly hot," said Leafs starter Adam Jafine.  "Not the easiest to pitch in but however tough it was for us, it was equally as tough for the hitters."

Jafine, whose jersey became soaked through as the game went on, put on a clinic.  Over four innings, he scattered two hits and three walks and kept Hamilton off the board.

"It was fun to pitch and our guys playing clean baseball made it even better," Jafine added.

The guys gave their starter a lead before he even took the mound.  In the top of the first inning, Leafs first baseman Jordan Castaldo drew a walk off starter Corben Peters.  The next man up, right fielder Marcus Knecht, hit a flyball that kept carrying all the way over the centerfield fence.  The Leafs went ahead 2-0 and never relinquished the lead.

In the top of the fifth, third baseman Ryan Dos Santos drew a two-out walk, stole second base, and scored on an RBI single by catcher Jhon Javier.  3-0 Leafs midway through the fifth.

After four sweltering innings and 71 pitches, Jafine's day was done.  Drew Howard relieved him to start the bottom of the fifth.  Taking his cue from the starter, he also kept the home side in check while battling the heat.

"The main difference was just trying to work quick to get the team back in the dugout shade and out of the sun," Howard explained his approach.  "As for affecting the pitches it didn't make a huge difference other than tiring a little quicker.  I played in Florida for a couple of years so I got used to pitching in those hotter conditions."

Howard faced adversity right from the get-go.  Hamilton catcher July Vittini smacked his first pitch deep to left field.  Dennis Dei Baning collided with the fence trying to make the catch.  By the time the ball got back to the infield, Vittini stood at third base.  Tyler Duncan hit a chopper towards first that Howard fielded himself for the out, but Vittini scored.

From that moment on, Howard climbed into the fridge and slammed the door shut behind him.  He kept his cool and kept the Thunderbirds from scoring anything else, all the way through the end of the eighth inning.

In the seventh, Castaldo put three more runs on the board with his 103rd IBL home run.

Hamilton ended up using four pitchers on the day.  Casey Bouillere-Howard pitched a scoreless eighth but seemed to melt in the ninth.  He gave up three straight singles then walked in a run.  Another run scored when pinch hitter Spencer MacInnis hit into a fielder's choice.  That made it an 8-1 game.

For the bottom of the ninth, the stadium announcer, the Cable 14 broadcast team, and the IBL website all believe that Taylor Lepard came in to pitch.  He was not even in Hamilton.  It was Alex Uher who took the mound for Toronto to close things out.  The Thunderbirds mustered a single and nothing more.  Uher struck out the last batter swinging to seal the 8-1 FINAL.

It was Howard's first IBL win.  Peters took the loss, and everyone took to cooler confines.

Toronto 8 10 2

Hamilton 1 6 0

W - Howard (1-1, 6.92)

L - Peters (2-1, 3.00)

BOXSCORE

That solstice weekend was very satisfying.

With a 10-7 record, the Leafs are tied with Chatham-Kent for third place in the IBL standings.  They are 2 1/2 games behind the first place Welland Jackfish.  The upcoming schedule sees them return to Christie Pits for a pair of night games before heading off on another challenging weekend road trip.

The week ahead:

Wednesday, June 25 - Hamilton Cardinals vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits (rescheduled rainout)

Friday, June 27 - Guelph Royals vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Saturday, June 28 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals, 7:30 pm at Hastings Stadium

Sunday, June 29 - Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors, 1:05 pm at Labatt Park

From the Annex Gleaner: Sato Makes Baseball History With Perfect Debut

Largest crowd in over a decade packs Christie Pits for Leafs season opener

On May 11 at Christie Pits, the Toronto Maple Leafs' Ayami Sato is greeted by manager Rob Butler after pitching a perfect inning as the first woman to play in a men's pro baseball league in Canada.

She stands on the field near third base.

Diminutive and still, she is wearing her crisp white and blue Toronto Maple Leafs baseball uniform.  An arm’s length away, a dozen people lean over the fence, cameras trained, phones recording.

Ayami Sato’s face is attentive.  She listens as a reporter asks a question and waits as her interpreter, Yoko van Veen, translates.  She responds in Japanese, then waits again as her words are translated back.  It’s a familiar routine.  She has been asked many of these same questions for months.

“Why did you choose Toronto?”

“Have you played against men before?”

“Do you hope to inspire girls and women?”

She answers all the questions again.  In a few moments, the questions will cease and a new chapter of her life will begin.

It is Sunday, May 11.  Opening Day at Christie Pits, and a groundbreaking new season of the Intercounty Baseball League.  Last December, when the Leafs announced that they had signed Sato to play for them in 2025, it made international headlines.  A star of women’s baseball in Japan, she would be the first woman in Canadian history to play professional baseball against men.

The Leafs described the signing as “a pivotal moment, inspiring future generations and redefining the boundaries of professional sports.”  The Sato hype was accompanied by a newly-announced Women's Pro Baseball League that will begin play in 2026.  Leafs ownership has a hand in that venture.

After months of hype and interviews, the moment has arrived.

Corner to corner, the Christie hillsides are carpeted with thousands of fans, friends and curious onlookers, a crowd of this size not seen for over a decade.  

Before Sato can take to the mound, she receives greetings from a collection of dignitaries gathered on the infield.  Mayor Olivia Chow speaks to the excitement of the day.  Japanese Consul General Ken Matsunaga expresses pride and good wishes.  Councillor Dianne Saxe notes that the neighbourhood is represented by women at all levels of government, municipally, provincially and federally.  Sato receives bows, a bouquet, a box of doughnuts.

It’s time to play ball.  The Leafs take the field and the Kitchener Panthers prepare to bat.

The first batter steps in.  Instead of a cinematic hush descending over the park, the crowd of thousands applauds and cheers in anticipation.

Sato winds up, delivers, and is tested right away.  Her first pitch is tapped back to the mound.  She grabs the ball and throws to first base.  Jordan Castaldo makes the catch.  One pitch, one out.

The second batter grounds out.  The third batter pops up and second baseman Dan Marra catches it on the infield dirt.  It’s a perfect inning for Sato, who threw just five pitches.

She’s done it.  An ovation rings around the ballpark.  All the questions have been lifted off Sato’s shoulders.  She smiles and bounds towards the Leafs bench with her teammates.  Her beaming manager Rob Butler greets her with a hug.

Having passed the first test, Sato returns to the mound in the second inning.  It takes her just nine pitches to record three more outs, including a strikeout.

From the day Sato was signed, Leafs ownership showed unwavering confidence that she could compete in a men’s league.  She has rewarded their confidence and made history in style.  Two perfect innings, forever etched in time.

As usual on Opening Day, the Leafs gave most of their roster an opportunity to get into the game.  Sato’s day was done after the second.  With a Leafs hoodie pulled over her uniform, she spent the rest of the game in the Leafs bullpen, chatting with fans and signing autographs.

The Leafs went on to drop the game 6-5, but the Pits overflowed with positive vibes all afternoon.

The Sato sensation is undeniable.  The Leafs do not track attendance but at a glance it looked like a record crowd was at Christie Pits for the historic day.

As the season goes on, Sato will be expected to go deeper into games and help rack up wins.  If her debut is any indication, the Leafs and their fans can look forward to a successful summer.

The Leafs’ regular season continues into August, followed by playoffs.

More information and a schedule can be found at www.mapleleafsbaseball.com.

[This article was originally published in the May-June 2025 edition of the Annex Gleaner.]

Kalayo Shaw Show a Ratings Winner

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - June 10 to 16, 2025

Junior call-up's game-winning homer secured a Week Five split for the Leafs

This week Kalayo Shaw introduced himself to Leafs fans by flashing leather in the outfield and hitting a game-winning homer.

We are in the thick of it now.

It's mid-June and the IBL season is heating up.  Toronto Maple Leafs games are not for the faint of heart.

The Leafs have passed the one-quarter mark of the season.  They have scored the second-most runs in the league.  On the flipside, they have allowed the most runs in the league.  At any given Leafs game, scoreboards have been getting lit up like pinball machines.

The scoring assault continued early in the week.  The Leafs scored a combined 21 runs and surrendered 25 in a win and a loss.  

Friday night in Hamilton, Wilgenis Alvarado silenced opposing bats with a six-inning, one-run gem.  Sunday at Christie Pits, Leafs pitching continued to hold firm, limiting Chatham to just two runs.  Ultimately the Leafs split the week with two wins and two losses.

This week also saw the season premiere of the Kalayo Shaw Show.

The 21-year-old native of Mississauga plays for the High Performance Tigers Junior team.  This week he was called up to make three starts in centerfield in place of injured players.

Shaw made the most of the opportunity, thrilling fans with a couple of spectacular catches.  He went 4-for-12 at the plate, including what turned out to be a game-winning two-run home run on Sunday.

"It felt great rounding the bases.  I wasn't really sure if it was going to get out but we had some wind at the Pits," he laughed.

Shaw will be attending university in West Virginia this year and has enjoyed his stint with the Leafs.  He is looking forward to playing at Christie again.  Based on the early episodes, viewers will be hoping this show gets renewed.

And now, here is the full recap of Week Five in Leafs baseball.

Tuesday, June 10, 2025 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox (rescheduled rainout)

The Leafs mosey onto the field for high fives after a ninth-inning collapse by the Red Sox. (image: Brantford Red Sox YouTube)

Some games you win, some games the other team loses.

Tuesday night in Brantford, the Red Sox unraveled in a disastrous ninth inning and the Toronto Maple Leafs scored eight runs to grab a 14-8 victory.

As the ninth unfolded, Toronto's own Carlos Verde, doing a shift as play-by-play man on the Red Sox' YouTube broadcast, put it best: "All kinds of things have happened in this game."

It began quietly enough.  Through the first three innings, Leafs third baseman Jhon Javier recorded the only hit in a scoreless game.  To that point, the only notable happening was a sun delay that paused the game for about 10 minutes before the top of the third.

Javier singled again to open the fourth and DH Rando Moreno walked, setting the stage for right fielder Marcus Knecht.  Working a 2-1 count on Brantford starter Aidan Armitage, Knecht took him deep over the monster fence in left field, bruising the spring lettuce in someone's backyard garden.  That put the Leafs on the board with a 3-0 lead.

It was short lived. Nathan Currah, who pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings in London on May 30, was dealing again the first time through the order.  The second time was a different story as the Red Sox roughed him up for five runs off four hits, including a three-run homer by Brody Black.  Currah, who was born in 2005, was relieved by Marek Deska, who debuted in the IBL in 2006.*  Deska put out the fire but after four innings Brantford led 5-3.

In the top of the fifth, an RBI double by Javier and an RBI single by Moreno tied the game 5-5.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Red Sox reclaimed the lead.  Deska the evergreen Leaf returned to the mound and he struck out the first two batters he faced.  Then came a walk, an error and a two-run double off the bat of Lucas Bateman.  Another single was followed by a wonky, stutter-step double steal to add another run and the home side went ahead 8-5.

The Leafs put two men on board in the sixth but could do nothing with it.  In an improbable turn of events, catcher Justin Marra was picked off at third base after a pitch in the dirt.  It would prove to be an absolutely weird night of multiple TOOTBLANs** for Justin, one of the sharpest minds on the field.

Ayami Sato pitched a scoreless sixth for Toronto.  That was not weird.

In the top of the seventh, the home team's YouTube broadcast was taken over by Toronto, as Leafs' play-by-play man Thomas West joined Verde in the booth.  Down on the field, the dynamic duo of Javier and Moreno reached base again thanks to a single and a double.  Knecht then hit a chopper in front of home plate that enabled Javier to score.  That made it an 8-6 ballgame but the Leafs were running out of outs.

Greg Carrington pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh for Toronto.  Also not weird.

Neither club could do anything in the eighth inning.  Ben Sitarenios pitched a scoreless bottom of the frame and suddenly the Leafs were down to their final three outs.  However, the weirdness was about to go redline.  

Though the exact terms of the Faustian deal Brantford made in exchange for six consecutive championships from 2008 to 2013 are unknown, the baseball gods are still exacting their toll.

Top of the ninth, Colby Klepper on the mound for Brantford.  First baseman Zach Lampreia, who already struck out three times in this game, refused the golden sombrero.  He opened the inning with a walk, and moved all the way around to third on a passed ball during right fielder Ryan Dos Santos' at bat.  Dos Santos walked and Javier was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Moreno then hit a grounder to first that was thrown back home to get Lampreia out, and Brantford catcher Cassidy Watt fired the ball to third hoping to catch Dos Santos.  Instead, the ball sailed into left field and Dos Santos scampered home.  One run in.  Knecht was intentionally walked to re-load the bases.  Justin Marra up next, no doubt haunted by his misadventures on the basepaths.  He took ball one, then watched as a pitch sailed high to the backstop and allowed Javier to score.  Two runs in, tie ballgame.  Justin worked the count full, fouled one off, then popped one up over third that was dropped by Bateman.  Bases loaded again, second baseman Dan Marra to the plate.  Klepper walked him.  Three runs in, Leafs take the lead.  Klepper was relieved by Gabe Bruder but the collapse continued.  Let's have a paragraph break.

Still top of the ninth, one out, bases loaded, Bruder on the mound.  Pinch hitter Dennis Dei Baning hit a single.  That brought a fourth run in, but Justin Marra was thrown out at third.  Shortstop Spenser Ross was hit by a pitch to load the bases yet again.  One of the few fans remaining at Arnold Anderson Stadium could be heard on the broadcast absolutely losing what was left of his mind.  Lampreia, who started the inning, returned to the plate.  He grounded to third but Bateman threw the ball wide of first.  Two more runs scored and the nightmare continued.  Dos Santos hit a two-run single, making it an eight-run inning for the visitors.  Bruder struck out Javier to end the inning but there was no coming back from what had just unfolded.

After a half hour on the bench, Sitarenios returned to the mound.  A walk, double-play and fly out ended the game with a 14-8 FINAL score.  It was the first IBL win for Sitarenios, an unforgettable one to be sure.  Javier led the team with four hits and Knecht led with four RBIs.  

* Don't worry, I'm older than all of youse.

** Thrown Out On The Basepaths Like A Nincompoop.

Toronto 14 10 1

Brantford 8 9 6

W - Sitarenios (1-0, 0.00)

L - Klepper (0-3, 6.75)

BOXSCORE

Wednesday, June 11, 2025 - Barrie Baycats vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Luis Florentino delivers a pitch in the top of the first.

I'm not going to soft-soap this one.  

Wednesday night at Christie Pits, the Toronto Maple Leafs got kicked in the nuts.  Right on, with force.  Fellas you know how that feels.  

The Barrie Baycats delivered the kicks.  They came to town nursing a 3-6 record and scored 17 runs to the Leafs' seven.  They notched 18 hits to the Leafs' 12.  They hit four home runs while the Leafs' smoke machine sat unused.

A run through the victims report.  The Leafs sent five pitchers to the mound and four of them got his berries bruised (the exception being Taylor Lepard, who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless in the middle of the game).  Luis Florentino gave up six runs on four hits and six walks.  Eugene Lee gave up four runs on three hits and two walks.  Alex Kharabian gave up five runs on four hits and a walk.  Jeremy Newton gave up two runs on five hits and a walk.

The game was a callback to a decade ago, when Barrie would roll into the Pits and score and score and score some more.  Even when they led (very early), it felt like the Leafs were behind.  Give them credit, the Leafs put seven runs on the board but there's a creeping sense this year that they need to score 10 or more to compete in games.  Kinda concerning.

One positive for the Leafs was the debut in centerfield by Kalayo Shaw.  He went 3-for-4 at the plate, scored a run and made a sprinting, arm-extended catch in the deepest part of center to thrill the crowd.

Junior call up Keegan Martin also made his first appearance in a Leafs uniform.  He played shortstop and second base, went 0-for-3 at the plate, but walked, scored and recorded an RBI.

Second baseman Dan Marra, third baseman Spenser Ross and catcher Jhon Javier each recorded two hits.  Javier raised his average to .481 on the season.  Right fielder Dennis Dei Baning drove in three runs, including a two-run double in the seventh.

Barrie 17 18 0

Toronto 7 12 3

W - Rosado (2-1, 5.60)

L - Lee (0-1, 36.00)

S - Khan (1)

BOXSCORE

Friday, June 13, 2025 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals

Wilgenis Alvarado gave the Leafs six innings of excellence on the mound in Hamilton. (image: Cable14.com Hamilton)

In his previous start on June 6, Wilgenis Alvarado lasted just one inning, getting torched by the Guelph Royals for five earned runs off four hits.  

On Friday night at Bernie Arbour Stadium, the Toronto Maple Leafs' southpaw erased that bad memory and pitched a near-masterpiece against the Hamilton Cardinals.

Alvarado engaged Cards ace Owen Boon in a pitchers' duel.  Over six innings, he gave up four hits, three walks and struck out 11.  Meanwhile, Boon gave up three hits, three walks and struck out 10.  Each man surrendered a single run.

It was the first time Leaf legend Johnathan Solazzo faced his old teammates.  In the bottom of the second inning, he stepped up to the plate for the first time and exchanged a lengthy greeting with catcher Justin Marra.  Solazzo got clipped on the back by an errant pitch.  He trotted to first base, momentarily pretending to charge the mound, drawing smiles from all.  Solazzo advanced on a single and stole third base, then came home on a hit by Yolki Pena.  It was Alvarado's only slip of the game.

Boon held the Leafs scoreless until the top of the sixth.  Left fielder Ryan Dos Santos singled and third baseman Jhon Javier drew a walk.  With two men on, DH Rando Moreno smoked an RBI single to right and Dos Santos scored the tying run.  It was 1-1 after six innings.

After throwing 117 pitches, Alvarado turned the game over to rookie Sam Spencer for the bottom of the seventh.  The Cardinals welcomed the change.  Tyler Duncan, who had struck out three times, hit a double.  Brandon Nicholl followed with a two-run home run that put Hamilton ahead 3-1.

The Leafs had no response, going down in order in the eighth against Steven Hospital and in the ninth against Fernando Rodney, who earned his third save of the season.

Corben Peters, who pitched a scoreless seventh, took the win and Spencer was saddled with the loss.

Hamilton's pitching staff put on an impressive performance.  So too did Leafs centerfielder Kalayo Shaw.  Late in the game he made another sensational catch, sprinting in, diving headfirst and twisting his glove just so in order to make the grab.

Toronto 1 3 1

Hamilton 3 7 0

W - Peters (2-0, 0.00)

L - Spencer (0-1, 9.00)

S - Rodney (3)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, June 15, 2025 - Chatham-Kent Barnstormers vs Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs halted the Barnstormers' bus on Father's Day Sunday at Christie Pits. (file photo)

The Toronto Maple Leafs salvaged a Week Five split with a win over the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers at Christie Pits.

After a rocky first inning, Leafs pitching hunkered down and kept the visitors off the scoreboard for eight innings, taking a 5-2 victory on Father's Day.  Kalayo Shaw capped off his impressive debut week with a game-winning home run.

Josh Berenbaum made the start for the Mapes.  In the top of the first inning, he was almost run over.  The first three batters he faced tagged him for a single and two doubles to grab a 2-0 lead.  After this opening barrage, Berenbaum took a moment to compose himself, then turned angrily towards home plate and pointed violently at the ground while shouting "This ends!  Here!  Now!"*  Berenbaum retired the next three batters.  For the rest of the game, the Barnstormers would be kept off the scoreboard.

In the bottom of the first, third baseman Jhon Javier hit a solo home run to make it a 2-1 ballgame.

In the bottom of the second, catcher Justin Marra was hit by a pitch from Chatham starter Mizuki Akatsuka.  With one out, centerfielder Shaw hit a towering flyball to left that cleared the fence for his first IBL homer.  That put the Leafs ahead 3-2 and there they would stay.

Berenbaum completed five innings on the mound, scattering nine hits while striking out five with no walks.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Leafs extended their lead.  Left fielder Ryan Dos Santos singled and advanced to third on an error.  First baseman Jordan Castaldo hit an RBI single to plate Dos Santos and make it 4-2 through five.

Drew Howard pitched three scoreless innings of relief, striking out three and walking none.

Bottom eight, the Leafs added an insurance run.  Three singles in a row by right fielder Marcus Knecht, Justin Marra, and second baseman Spenser Ross gave the Leafs a 5-2 lead.

Adam Jafine pitched a scoreless ninth to confirm the win for Berenbaum and a save for himself.  Akatsuka took the L.  The Barnstormers' loss halted a five-game win streak, while the Leafs wrapped up the week with two wins and two losses.

* That absolutely did not happen, it's just how I imagined it since I wasn't there.  Berenbaum seems pretty chill.

Chatham-Kent 2 12 1

Toronto 5 10 2

W - Berenbaum (2-2, 5.01)

L - Akatsuka (1-2, 4.76)

S - Jafine (1)

BOXSCORE 

The Leafs are being Leafy again, with a 7-7 record five weeks into the season.  The old style!  They sit in fourth place in the IBL standings, 5 games behind the Welland Jackfish.  They next return to the Pits for a Wednesday nighter before setting off on a challenging weekend road trip.

The week ahead:

Wednesday, June 18 - Kitchener Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Friday, June 20 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox, 7:15 pm at Arnold Anderson Stadium

Saturday, June 21 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Welland Jackfish, 6:05 pm at Welland Stadium

Sunday, June 22 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals, 2:05 pm at Bernie Arbour Stadium

Knecht Four

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - June 3 to 9, 2025

Four home runs by Number 4 made a mark in Week Four

Marcus Knecht's Week Four hot streak included four home runs in three games.  He currently leads the league with 15 RBIs.

Get hot.  Stay cool.  Never look back.

Like three pillars of Buddhist wisdom, these are Marcus Knecht's lessons for hitting.

Since his 2018 debut in the IBL, the Toronto Maple Leafs outfielder has stood out as a cerebral figure.  He thinks about hitting baseballs a lot.  So much so that he compiled his thoughts into a guidebook on hitting.  During the offseason he released Hotstreak Mechanics: 3 Step Plan to Catch Fire in the Batters Box.  It's available via his Instagram account, and you can receive a free copy in seconds. 

The guidebook provides clear instructions to stop overthinking, eliminate distractions, focus on the ball, and hit, hit, hit.

Knecht puts theory into practice each time he takes bat in hand.  He begins his at bats with a zen-like routine, stepping into the box, extending his arm, pointing his bat to the heavens and holding it like a yoga pose.  Eyes, mind and body converge in total focus.  

The results speak for themselves.  This week, they were shouting.

Over the past three games, Knecht has gone 6-for-13 at the plate, hit four home runs, driven in nine and scored five.  His batting average is up to .370 on the season, third on the Leafs behind Jhon Javier and Jordan Castaldo.

The Leafs are making noise up and down the order.  They have scored 77 runs on the season, one shy of the first place Welland Jackfish, who reminded us on Sunday why they are tops in the IBL.

Here is the recap of Week Four in Leafs baseball.

Friday, June 6, 2025 - Guelph Royals vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Rando Moreno plows through a pandemonium of smoke spray, glow sticks, flag wavers and photographers after hitting a go-ahead grand slam.  The ground was shaking, or maybe the camera.

It was the first Friday Nighter of the season, and the bats on both sides provided a dazzling light show.

The Toronto Maple Leafs outlasted the Guelph Royals in a 14-11 game reminiscent of the old style at Christie Pits.

Eight home runs left the park, six of them hit by the Leafs including two grand slams.

It was a perfect night for detonating pitches.  The atmospheric conditions at game time were a unique combination of mild, muggy and windless.  "Smoky," as Leafs photog Craig Aikin put it.

Neither starting pitcher made it through two innings.  The first to get beat up was Guelph's Brandon Deans.  He walked the first three batters faced to load the bases, then turned things around and struck out two in a row.  He might have escaped the jam but Leafs right fielder Marcus Knecht put a jolt into one and it cleared the fence in left.  Grand Slam.  4-0 Leafs.  As Knecht completed his circuit, the home plate umpire ejected Deans from the game.  The pitcher left the field escorted by manager Dino Roumel, but not before rolling the ball at the ump and hitting his shoe.  

Welcome to the IBL, Jeff Liu.  The Royals reliever entered the game right off the bench instead of the bullpen, and managed to record the third out to end the inning.

In the top of the second, the Royals stormed back.  Wilgenis Alvarado had pitched a scoreless first, but was tattooed for six runs off four hits and a pair of walks.  His night was also ended by a grand slam, this one off the bat of J.D. Williams.  With six runs on the board and no outs, newcomer Luis Florentino of the Dominican Republic entered the game and recorded three outs in a row.  Midway through the second inning, the Royals were on top 6-4.

The Leafs immediately tied the score with a pair of solo home runs off the bats of centerfielder Spencer MacInnis and second baseman Dan Marra.  That added up to four home runs in the first two innings, just like old style Christie Pits baseball.  The game was tied 6-6 through two.

Florentino posted goose eggs in the third and fourth.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Leafs reclaimed the lead.  Connor King relieved Liu on the mound and the home side managed to load the bases again.  With two outs, shortstop Rando Moreno shook the Pits with a towering home run over the monster in right.  It was another grand slam and it gave the Leafs a 10-6 lead.  The slam moved Moreno into the team lead with 12 RBIs (and also tied him for the league lead).

Moreno's HR trot was a spectacle.  As he rounded the bases, a group of Leafs staffers gathered around third base.  Some waved glow sticks and a flag, some operated a smoke blaster, others snapped photos up close.  There's a growing - and welcome - pandemonium about these things.  By season's end I'm wondering if home runs at Christie Pits will look like this: 

In the top of the fifth, Matthew Ward almost re-tied the game by hitting a three-run homer off Florentino.  10-9 Leafs through five.

In the bottom of the sixth, MacInnis showed that he's getting a taste for the old style.  He drilled his second dinger of the night to make it 11-9 Leafs.

Top of seven, Guelph got the run back when Ward drew a bases-loaded walk off reliever Taylor Lepard.  With the sacks still packed, Dustin Richardson took to the mound and recorded three swinging strikeouts in a row to electrify the Pits again.  11-10 Leafs through seven.

In the bottom of the inning the Mapes made some breathing room for themselves.  Catcher Jhon Javier hit a two-run homer, his team's sixth round trip.  With the bases loaded later in the inning, Ryan Dos Santos drew his league-leading three-millionth walk to bring another run home.  Heading into the eighth Toronto enjoyed a 14-10 lead.

Richardson pitched a scoreless eighth, then handed the ninth to junior call-up Alex Uher.  The young rightie showed grace under pressure.  After striking out the lead off man, the Royals taxed him with three straight singles.  A fielder's choice made it two outs but a run scored.  Uher summoned his anti-monarchist tendencies and got J.D. Williams to swing at three pitches in a row.  Ballgame.  14-10 Leafs.  Florentino took the win, and the aptly-named King took the loss.

At the plate, Moreno went 3 for 4 and raised his average to .368.  All the Leaf runs but one came via the longball, the Dos Santos walk scoring the final one.

After the game, Moreno was presented with player of the game honours on the field.  This included a presentation of the Toronto turbo chain of office, and an invitation to blast some kind of Dominico Death Ray into the skies.  

The Leafs gameday team led by Michael Roudbari keeps introducing wilder and wilder experiences to the Pits, making each game a must-see.  Just like the old style.

Guelph 11 12 0

Toronto 14 14 1

W - Florentino (1-0, 6.75)

L - King (0-2, 18.00)

BOXSCORE

Saturday, June 7, 2025 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Chatham-Kent Barnstormers 

Marcus Knecht touches home after hitting his second home run of the game. (image: Chatham-Kent Barnstormers YouTube)

On Saturday night in Chatham, an old nemesis greeted the Toronto Maple Leafs.

I don't mean former London Major Fergie Jenkins.  The MLB Hall of Famer was on hand for a pre-game ceremony that saw his number 31 retired at the ballpark that bears his name.

No, the nemesis I'm talking about is One Big Inning.  Over the seasons, that big beast has wrecked many a game for the Leafs.

The evening presented an intriguing matchup on the mound.  It was Leafs rookie Josh Berenbaum coming off a win at Kitchener facing wily IBL veteran Christian Hauck of the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers.  Over five innings, each man took his share of body blows.

Evan Morrison wasted no time and homered on the first pitch of the game.  The Barnstormers scored two more to take an early 3-0 lead.

Right fielder Marcus Knecht made it a 3-2 ballgame by hitting a two-run rocket in the top of the second inning.

Bottom two, Morrison scored again on an RBI single by teammate Mitsuki Fukuda.  4-2 Barnstormers through two.

The Leafs punched back in the top of the third.  Left fielder Ryan Dos Santos reached first on an error, then raced to third on a single by second baseman Dan Marra.  Shortstop Rando Moreno reached first on a error that allowed Dos Santos to score.  Moreno was caught trying to steal second, but Dan Marra scored on the double steal.  That tied the game 4-4 through three.

Morrison was at it again in the bottom of the fifth, driving in one of two runs that put the home side ahead 6-4.

Knecht was at it again in the top of the sixth, hitting a solo homer to make it 6-5.

In the bottom of the sixth, the ogre appeared.  Chatham-Kent assailed relievers Adam Marra and Ayami Sato.  Eight runs went on the board in all sorts of ways.  Eleven men went up to the plate, racking up three walks and five hits, including a bases-clearing double and a two-run home run.  It was gross to look at.  The Barnstormers pulled away with a 14-5 lead and that was how it ended.

Hauck took the W, Berenbaum took the L.  Knecht's two dingers were a highlight.  Dan Marra and catcher Jhon Javier each recorded three hits in the losing effort.

Toronto 5 9 3

Chatham-Kent 14 17 2

W - Hauck (1-0, 6.54)

L - Berenbaum (1-2, 5.40)

BOXSCORE 

Sunday, June 8, 2025 - Welland Jackfish vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Jhon Javier went 3 for 5 on Sunday, raising his team-leading batting average to .442.

In his short career as a Toronto Maple Leaf (just nine games), Jhon Javier has been impressive.

Overshadowed by other signings, Javier has emerged as that most cherished piece in a manager's arsenal: the super utility guy.  He's played outfield, infield, and catcher, slotting in wherever the Leafs have had a need.  His .442 batting average leads the club and he's fourth in the IBL.

Sunday at Christie Pits, the Dominican import played behind home plate and went 3-for-5 on the other side.  

That's most of the good news.  The Leafs hosted the first-place Welland Jackfish, who treated the game like a home run derby.

A leadoff homer by Jonah Weisner off starter Drew Howard set the tone.  The Jackfish hit six home runs in the game, but five of them were solo shots.  Instead of One Big Inning, the Leafs fell victim to an onslaught of small blasts, dropping a 12-6 final score.  Howard completed four innings, giving up four runs on five hits while striking out five and walking three.

Trailing the entire game, the Leafs chipped away at starter José Domínguez.  

Left fielder Ryan Dos Santos scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the first.

Center fielder Spencer MacInnis scored on a fielding error in the bottom of the fourth.

The Leafs put two on the board in the bottom of the fifth.  First baseman Justin Marra drove in a run on a ground ball out.  Second baseman Dan Marra scored on another Jackfish error.

In the bottom of the sixth, shortstop Rando Moreno hit an RBI single and Dos Santos slid home ahead of the ball.

In the bottom of the ninth, right fielder Marcus Knecht capped off a stellar weekend by hitting his fourth home run in three games.

Howard took the loss, Domínguez took the win, and Scott Gillespie pitched three-plus innings to close the game and earn a save.

Welland 12 16 3

Toronto 6 9 0

W - Domínguez (2-0, 3.37)

L - Howard (0-1, 13.50)

S - Gillespie (1)

BOXSCORE

A 5-5 record puts the Leafs in a tie for 5th place in the IBL standings, 3 1/2 games behind the 8-1 Jackfish.  A challenging Week Five is on tap, with four games in six days. 

The week ahead:

Tuesday, June 10 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox, 7:15 pm at Arnold Anderson Stadium (rescheduled rainout)

Wednesday, June 11 - Barrie Baycats vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Friday, June 13 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals, 7:35 pm at Bernie Arbour Stadium

Sunday, June 15 - Chatham-Kent Barnstormers vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 2:00 pm at Christie Pits