Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - June 10 to 16, 2025
Junior call-up's game-winning homer secured a Week Five split for the Leafs
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| 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)
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| 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)
Wednesday, June 11, 2025 - Barrie Baycats vs Toronto Maple Leafs
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| 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)
Friday, June 13, 2025 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals
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| 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)
Sunday, June 15, 2025 - Chatham-Kent Barnstormers vs Toronto Maple Leafs
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| 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)
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
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