Steppin' Up

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - August 10 to 16, 2026

Week 14 saw new faces playing in unexpected places.

It was another week of looking anywhere but the scoreboard.

Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister, once described his profession as "cabinet maker".

This week, Dennis Bailey and Rob Butler took Allen keys in hand and assumed similar roles in furniture assembly.  With a slew of infield injuries hitting the Toronto Maple Leafs, the GM and manager were pressed to fit various pieces into unexpected gaps and construct lineups to get through four games.

Last week we saw pitcher Reinaldo De Paula play three innings at second base.  This week, pitcher Drew Howard took it further by playing three whole games there.

Howard got the call from coach Butler and he answered the call.  It was not too much of a stretch for him to man second.  He played infield through all of high school and for East York Juniors.  He is still unable to pitch but hopes to be back on the mound by next summer.

Outfielder Yolki Pena played some first base.  Crix Taveras would have played two or three different positions at once if he could.  By late Sunday afternoon, pitcher Kyle Poapst was playing catcher, something he hasn't done since high school.

The Leafs battled but won just one game out of four.

And now, here's the recap of Week 14 in Toronto Maple Leafs baseball.

Thursday, August 13, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Kitchener Panthers

Dennis Dei Baning is greeted at home after going YARD in the ninth inning. (image: Kitchener Panthers TV/YouTube)

A ferocious ninth inning comeback fell short as the Toronto Maple Leafs fell to the Kitchener Panthers 7-5 at Jack Couch Park.

CBL home run leader Yasiel Puig put the Leafs ahead in the first inning.  The DH bopped a solo bomba off of starter Jorge Minyety to put his side ahead 1-0.

In the top of the third, the Leafs doubled their lead.  First baseman Yolki Pena drew a walk and advanced on a single by third baseman Spenser Ross.  Shortstop Brando Leroux grounded into a double play but Pena came in to score and make it 2-0.

Wilgenis Alvarado pitched two scoreless innings to open the game, but got torched in the bottom of the third.  With two outs, he served up a three-run homer to Yosvani Penalver and Kitchener went ahead 3-2 through three.

The Panthers piled it on in the fourth.  A sac fly and a two-run single ran their lead up to 6-2.

In the bottom of the seventh, an RBI single by Yunior Ibarra off of reliever Frankie Gulko made it a 7-2 ballgame.

And then, the comeback.  

Despite all the beatdowns they have suffered this year, the Leafs have a knack for scoring late.  

The ninth inning rolled around, the Leafs sent nine men to the plate, and the Panthers almost used up all their lives.  It started with centerfielder J.J. Dutton drawing a leadoff walk from reliever Jacob Liberta.  Two outs followed, then left fielder Dennis Dei Baning went yard and put two runs on the board.  It was his fifth home run of the season.  Catcher Matt Brandt reached on an error and Liberta walked Pena to put two men aboard.  Ross doubled to score another run, but the Black Cats escaped when Kyle Poapst (batting for Leroux) grounded out.  

The Leafs lost a 7-5 FINAL, and more crucially it looks like they lost Leroux to injury.  In the eighth inning, he attempted to steal third base and jammed his hand sliding in.  The inning ended, Leroux left the game, and did not play again all weekend.  He is reported to be out with a thumb injury.

Toronto 5 6 2

Kitchener 7 9 1

W - Minyety (2-3, 5.03)

L - Alvarado (1-6, 8.83)

BOXSCORE

Friday, August 14, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors

Drew Howard drives in Toronto's tenth run of the night. (image: London Majors YouTube)

Click to win.

A simple concept executed to perfection by the Toronto Maple Leafs as they defeated the London Majors 10-7 at Labatt Park.

Everything was clicking on this night.  Across all nine innings, the Leafs played with great panache, or as the French say, "moxie".

Nick Veselinovic, Reinaldo De Paula and Luis Florentino each delivered another strong performance on the mound.  The Mapes' all-star hurler pitched into the sixth inning before turning it over to the Dominican duo.

The southpaw gave up three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three.  De Paula held off a late innings comeback attempt by London, giving up four runs on four hits while striking out three.  Florentino pitched a scoreless one and one-third innings to seal the victory.

In the top of the second inning, the Leafs sent all nine men to the plate and battered starter Victor Payano for three hits and three runs with a pair of walks in the mix.  A leadoff double by catcher Matt Brandt was followed by an RBI double by first baseman Yolki Pena.  After a single by third baseman Spenser Ross and an intentional walk to right fielder Yasiel Puig loaded the bases, Payano walked Pena in.  Ross followed his teammate across the plate when Payano hit shortstop Crix Taveras with a pitch.  When the inning was finally over the Leafs led 3-0.

London got one run back in each of the second and third innings.

Toronto added to their lead in the top of the fourth.  Taveras hit an RBI double to make it 4-2.

In the top of the fifth, DH Marcus Knecht hit an RBI single to make it 5-2.

The Majors got one back in the sixth, but the Leafs put the game away for good in the seventh.  Facing reliever Daniel Orfaly, Pena reached base on an error and second baseman Drew Howard singled.  The next man up, Ross reached base on another error that allowed Pena to score.  Puig delivered the kill shot, a mammoth 3-run blast that made it a 9-3 ballgame.

Top of the eighth, Howard made it a double-digit score for Toronto.  Pena doubled off of Alex Springer and Howard drove him in with a single to right field.  Click click click!

De Paula and Florentino handled the rest and the Leafs took the 10-7 FINAL.  Veselinovic with the win, Payano with the loss, and Florentino with his fourth save of the season.

It was Puig's 17th home run of 2026, and he is four away from tying the single-season record set by Maple Leaf Sean Reilly in 2013.

The unexpected first base/second base duo of Pena and Howard had themselves a night.  Each went 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI.  Howard scored a run and Pena crossed the plate four times.  Taveras notched two RBIs, and Knecht and centerfielder J.J. Dutton each drove in one run.

Toronto 10 16 1

London 7 11 2

W - Veselinovic (6-2, 4.58)

L - Payano (8-2, 3.43)

S - Florentino (4)

BOXSCORE

Saturday, August 15, 2026 - Chatham-Kent Barnstormers vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Yuto Nakata: quiet, powerful and awesome. (file photo)

One of the stories in this 2026 Toronto Maple Leafs season is poor pitching.  It's been bad.  There's no escaping it, when the team ERA of 8.09 is almost bottom of the league as of mid-August.  Only Kitchener's 8.18 is worse.

How splendid then that Yuto Nakata arrived.  The clouds parted over Christie Pits and Nakata descended like a swan riding a giant chrysanthemum down from a mountaintop.  Quiet, powerful and awesome.

Nakata's two starts for the Leafs have been must-see events.  In his debut, he struck out 11 batters and won.

He went one better in this game, his second start.  He struck out 12 Chatham-Kent Barnstormers and was deserving of another win.  Unfortunately, Leaf bats went cold at the Pits and a rare slip-up by Luis Florentino in the ninth resulted in a 4-2 defeat.

All was quiet until the top of the third inning, when a single and double by Chatham-Kent gave them a 1-0 lead.

Bottom of the fifth, the Mapes made their move.  Or moves.  Facing starter Dwayne Matos, second baseman Drew Howard walked, third baseman Spenser Ross reached base on an error, and DH Yasiel Puig was intentionally walked to load the bases with two out.  The man himself, right fielder Marcus Knecht made them pay.  He stroked a two-run single and the Leafs went ahead 2-1 through five innings.

The 'Stormers grabbed another run in the top of the sixth on a double-single combo and the game was tied 2-2.

Nakata went seven innings and bowed out with a final line of two runs on seven hits with one walk and 12 K's.

Frankie Gulko pitched a scoreless eighth, and Florentino took over for the ninth with the game still tied.

It was a rare sloppy affair for Flo.  He got the leadoff batter to ground out.  A double, walk and error then loaded the bases.  A wild pitch and a single plated two runs for the visitors.

The Leafs were unable to score in the ninth and Chatham-Kent grabbed the 4-2 FINAL.  Reliever Shane Gustafson was the winning pitcher while Florentino took his first loss of the year.

Chatham 4 9 1

Toronto 2 7 3

W - Gustafson (1-1, 3.09)

L - Florentino (1-1, 3.54)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, August 16, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox

Yeah, Spenser Ross' expression says it all.

WOOF.

The Toronto Maple Leafs went to Telephone City and got their bells rung, losing 17-2 to the Brantford Red Sox.

Making his sixth start of the season, Cam Dimidjian was hoping to snare his first W, but it was not to be.

After a couple of quiet innings, the Red Sox proceeded to bomb Dimidjian and those who followed.  It was sad to witness in person, this being the only game all week that I could get to.

In the bottom of the third, Dimidjian gave up two doubles and a single, each one of them driving in a run for Brantford.  Christian Kuzemka capped the inning off by hitting a two-run homer and his side was up 5-0.

Bottom of the fourth, Graham Sim took over on the mound for Toronto and got mobbed.  The Red Sox hit three home runs and scored five more to go up 10-0 through four innings.

Bottom of the fifth, Frankie Gulko loaded the bases and was relieved by Reinaldo De Paula.  He gave up a single and a sac fly that scored two more runs, and then Tim Holyk hit a three-run bomb.  15-0 Brantford after five innings.

It was ugly.  By the top of the sixth, the Leafs had recorded just two hits and three walks off of starter Connor Irvine.  With two out in the inning and down 15-0, centerfielder J.J. Dutton made the play of the game.  He hit a ground ball to short and busted his ass out of the box.  He ran like his ass was on fire, almost beating the throw to first.  Leaf fans in attendance turned and nodded to each other.  That's the kind of hustle you want on your team.

A couple of other bright notes for Toronto: 

DH Marcus Knecht got the Leafs on the board with a two-run single in the top of the seventh.

Yordan Manduley returned to the diamond and played first base with his injured ankle in an athletic brace.

This game ended 17-2.  Irvine with the win, Dimidjian with the loss.

Toronto 2 5 1

Brantford 17 20 0

W - Irvine (3-5, 6.29)

L - Dimidjian (0-4, 9.91)

BOXSCORE

At 13-26, the Leafs drop to eighth place, 15 games behind the London Majors and they have been eliminated from postseason play for the first time since 2014.

The week ahead: 

Wednesday, August 19 - Brantford Red Sox vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Friday, August 21 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox, 7:07 pm at Arnold Anderson Stadium

Saturday, August 22 - Kitchener Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits (rescheduled rainout)

Sunday, August 23 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals, 4:05 pm at Bernie Arbour Stadium

CBL Odyssey: Kitchener

Jack Couch Park, Kitchener

In 2026, the Intercounty Baseball League set off on a whole new journey.

It shed its name and sailed into new waters as the Canadian Baseball League.  Bigger, better, bolder.

This is also the summer of The Odyssey, already one of the blockbuster movies of the year.  It's the legendary tale of one man's journey through practically every nook and cranny of the Mediterranean before finally getting home.

With all this in mind, I'm making 2026 the summer of the CBL Odyssey.  I'm revisiting the league's ballparks with a fresh set of eyes.  Next stop is Sausagetown aka Kitchener.

JACK COUCH PARK

GETTING THERE - from Toronto you take the 401 West.  Pass Cambridge, then exit onto Highway 8.  From 8 exit onto 7, then Ottawa Street.  The home of the Kitchener Panthers is right off the highway, easy in/easy out.  The GO Kitchener Line drops you off at Kitchener's train station.  From there you can grab a bus that takes you to Ottawa Street.  If not, it's a 45 minute schlep down Weber Street.

PARKING - the ballpark is part of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex, which includes arenas and sports fields.  The complex has a huge amount of free parking so it's never an issue.  

BALLPARK VIBES - the night I visited was the Panthers' "Oktoberfest in July" game and it was a blast.  The club debuted its city connect "Berlin Keg Tappers" uniforms with Alpine green hats, checkered jerseys and lederhosen-like pants and stockings.  Musicians in folk attire played German music and Oktoberfest mascots roamed the park.  The place was packed and festive.  Panthers fans are always a lively lot.  That's Panther Baseball!

Jack Couch is one of the CBL's cosiest parks.  The dimensions are short, making it a sluggers' paradise.  The highway is not far past the trees behind the outfield fences.  Foul territory is modest, and seven sections of metal bleachers wrap around the infield from one corner base to the other, bringing fans close to the action.

Lots of Panthers merch is available inside a shipping container located behind the seating on the first base side.  There are restrooms in the building behind home plate, and porta potties near the right field corner.

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - plenty of contests and music between innings.  Everything was German themed this night.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - with the seating so close to the field, and the outfield cut off by fencing, it's a tight ballpark.  There's a narrow walkway between the seats and infield fencing but not many spots where you can stand without blocking someone's view.

BALLPARK CUISINE - Kitchener is the home of Schneiders meats and Jack Couch is the home of the best grilled sausages in the CBL.  The concessions stand also offers hot dogs, pizza slices and plenty of junk food.  Each week, a special menu item is added to the rotation.  This night it was popcorn chicken mac and cheese in a bowl.

It's all about the sausages here.  Prepared by the stadium grillmeister, they are juicy and flavourful.  Whenever I visit it's one of the highlights.

BALLPARK BEER - there is no "Panthers" branded beer, but they do sell Kitchener Rangers Cream Ale from Cambridge's Four Fathers Brewing Co..  It's a nice cream ale, and they have an assortment of others available at the beer stand.

TEAM MASCOT - the Panthers do not have a live mascot, but visitors entering Jack Couch encounter a giant inflated cat perched Sphinx-like beside the merch box.

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Yes they do!

OVERHEARD - 

"I've been waiting all day for this."

"Best there is."

(possibly an exchange between the stadium grillmeister and the author)

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - in recent years, the fencing between the field and seating at Jack Couch has grown to almost oppressive proportions.  Chainlink fence is strung between metal posts that are incredibly tall.  It's definitely one of the best parks in the CBL from a fan safety point of view, but no seat in the park has a clear view of the field.  They overdid the fencing.  It's like watching baseball being played inside a 10-foot steel cage.

Beyond the diamond, the food and drink options are fantastic, the atmosphere is fun, and it's an easy getaway once the last out is recorded.

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - not with those fences. 

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Brantford...

The Cycle of Manduley

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - August 3 to 9, 2026

Week 13 saw the hearts of Leaf fans rise off the bat of Yordan Manduley, and fall with the turn of his ankle.

Yordan Manduley led the club in hits and RBIs this week despite going down with injury.

Yordan Manduley has put together a great season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Cast off by the Kitchener Panthers before last season ended, he found a new home at Christie Pits.  The 40-year-old Cuban has rewarded the club for its faith in him.

As of August 9, Manduley's 46 hits are second on the club only to Yasiel Puig.  Same with his .387 batting average.  He leads the Leafs with 10 doubles and more wildly, his nine stolen bases also lead the club.

This week, Manduley went through what felt like the cycle of Toronto Maple Leafs fanhood in 2026.

Wednesday, Manduley goes 3-for-4 with 2 runs and 4 RBIs.

 

"UNSTOPPABLE!  IRRESISTIBLE!  PLAN THE PARADE ROUTE!"

Friday, Manduley goes 2-for-5 with 1 run and 2 RBIs. 

"STILL BEATING THE WORLD!"

Saturday, Manduley goes 1-for-3, 0 runs, 0 RBIs, and leaves the game injured.  

"OKAY MAYBE TOO OVERZEALOUS.  BUT STILL!"

Sunday, Manduley does not play.  Leafs win one and lose three on the week.

"SEASON OVER."

Manduley is reported to be day-to-day and we hope he makes a swift return.  The cycle of fanhood begins anew.

And now, here's the recap of Week 13 in Toronto Maple Leafs baseball.

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 - Hamilton Cardinals vs Toronto Maple Leafs

A slugfest at the plate means no rest for the bullpen, shown here briefly at rest.

It was a four-hour Christie thriller.

You'd love every game to be like this, maybe a bit quicker with a better ending.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Hamilton Cardinals duked it out at Christie Pits, a 31-hit, 27-run slugfest.  The Leafs fell just short in the bottom of the ninth and lost 14-13.

The Cardinals grabbed an early lead thanks to a first inning leadoff home run by Brandon Nicoll off of starter Wilgenis Alvarado.

In the bottom of the second inning, the Leafs sent 11 men to the plate and seized the lead.  At one point the Leafs strung together four hits in a row, resulting in a pair of RBIs for catcher Matt Brandt and one RBI for left fielder Ben Sitarenios.  Later in the inning, second baseman Yordan Manduley drove in two with a single of his own.  The Leafs led 5-1 through two.

Not a great night for either starter.  In the top of the third, Alvarado gave up two more homers and an RBI double as the Cardinals took a 6-5 lead.

Bottom three, Hamilton starter Dakota Parsons served up a pitch that Brandt crushed over the centerfield fence to tie the game 6-6.

Alvarado opened the top of the fourth inning by giving up a single.  He was relieved by Frankie Gulko, who loaded the bases with a walk and an error.  He then walked in a run and gave up an RBI single.  Reinaldo De Paula took over on the mound.  Two more singles plated three runs and Hamilton went back ahead 11-6.

In the top of the sixth, the Redbirds scored one more run off De Paula, a groundout that scored a baserunner from third to make it 12-6.

Bottom six, Hamilton reliever Caleb Seroski loaded the bases and got the hook.  Facing Scott Gillespie, Manduley hit a two-run double.  A wild pitch scored right fielder Yasiel Puig.  Centerfielder J.J. Dutton reached base on an error and Manduley scored to make it 12-10 through six.

Luis Florentino pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Dutton delivered more dramatics.  Reliever Freisis Adames put the first two batters aboard with a single and a walk.  Dutton cashed both runners in with a double to center and the game was tied 12-12.

The excitement was short-lived as Hamilton immediately retook the lead.  Yuto Nakata came on to pitch the ninth for the Leafs.  After giving up a leadoff single, he got the next two batters to strike out swinging.  Jommer Hernandez then killed the mood at the Pits by belting a two-run homer.  The Cardinals went up 14-12 and the Leafs were down to their last three outs.

Adames struck out the first two Leafs to start the bottom of the ninth.  Shortstop Brando Leroux singled, then moved to second on a wild pitch.  Puig stroked a single to centerfield and Leroux roared around to score.  Manduley was hit by a pitch and Adames was on the brink, but he escaped with one more strikeout and the game ended with a 14-13 FINAL score.

Manduley went 3-for-4 with four RBIs.  Brandt homered and drove in three.  Dutton drove in two, and Sitarenios and Puig each recorded one RBI.

Adames grabbed the win, Nakata took the loss, and the game took a couple of minutes over four hours.

Hamilton 14 17 2

Toronto 13 14 3

W - Adames (6-1, 3.38)

L - Nakata (1-1, 4.05)

BOXSCORE

Friday, August 7, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford "Base Invaders"

Dennis Dei Baning battles the setting sun at Arnold Anderson Stadium.

How about a thriller winner this time?

After being shut down for most of the game, the Toronto Maple Leafs offence staged a huge late-innings comeback and beat the Brantford Red Sox 10-9 in eleven innings.  Fans at Arnold Anderson Stadium were left stunned and reeling.

On the mound it was the Red Sox bullpen versus Nick Veselinovic.  For this game the Brantfords assumed the alternate identity of "Base Invaders".  Their uniforms were mostly the same but for "Invaders" in big letters on their jerseys.

In the bottom of the first, leadoff batter Jakob Cantor singled, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch.  He scored on a flyout and the home side sent up 1-0.

The Brantford pen held the Leafs at bay until the top of the fifth inning.  Elian Serrata, the third pitcher of the evening, hit a batter and gave up three walks to gift the visitors a run and tie the game 1-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Veselinovic got into a jam by loading the bases.  Christian Ortega then ripped a two-out double and drive in all three runners.  4-1 Brantford after five.

Veselinovic battled into the sixth inning, but Brantford added to their lead.  A single and a groundout each produced a run and the home side was up 6-1 through six.

Frankie Gulko took over on the mound for the bottom of the seventh, and the Red Sox kept going.  Brody Black led off with a triple and scored on an error, giving his team a 7-1 lead through seven.

Top of the eighth, the Leafs went to town on reliever Anthony Porcellato.  A four-run rally saw shortstop Brando Leroux and centerfielder J.J. Dutton each hit two-run singles to make it a 7-5 ballgame.

Top of the ninth, the Leafs completed the comeback.  Jorge De La Cruz was on the mound looking to close it out.  He got to within two outs before the wheels came off.  With a runner on first, he gave up a single to Leroux then intentionally walked DH Yasiel Puig to load the bases.  Up to the plate stepped second baseman Yordan Manduley.  He rapped a single to centerfield that scored two runners to tie the game 7-7.  They made it all the way back from 7-1.  

Reinaldo De Paula pitched a scoreless ninth to send the game to extras.

Neither team could score in the tenth.  Luis Florentino retired the side.

It was on to the eleventh and the Leafs broke through.  Catcher Matt Brandt started the inning as the ghost runner on second base.  Left fielder Dennis Dei Baning drew a walk, bringing third baseman Spenser Ross to the plate.  Ross bunted up the third base line.  De La Cruz grabbed the ball and hurled it over third base into left field.  Brandt scored, Dei Baning to second, Ross safe at first.  Bottom of the order getting it done.  Leroux followed with a single that scored both runners and the Leafs surged to a 10-7 lead.

They needed every one of those runs.  As the clock approached midnight, Florentino returned to the mound.  He gave up a single that put two runners aboard, then gave up a soaring triple to Black.  Both runners came in and the lead was down to one.  With two outs, ex-Leaf Charlie Towers skied one to the left field corner.  Dei Baning was there to make the catch and the game was over.

Stunned, reeling; the few Brantford fans left in the park berated the umpires, citing some obscure flyball rule that fell on deaf ears.  The Leafs claimed the 10-9 FINAL in extras.  Florentino earned the victory and De La Cruz received the defeat.

Toronto 10 12 2

Brantford 9 9 2

(11 innings)

W - Florentino (1-0, 4.00)

L - De La Cruz (0-1, 2.76)

BOXSCORE

Saturday, August 8, 2026 - London Majors vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Starter Cam Dimidjian sought his elusive first dub of the season.

"That was probably the worst game of the year, and that is saying something."

An anonymous Toronto Maple Leafs fan summed it all up at the conclusion of this one.

The Leafs were defeated 20-4 by the London Majors at Christie Pits.

Three Leaf pitchers were each mauled for five earned runs or more.

Starter Cam Dimidjian once again let a game get away in the fifth inning, when a 2-2 tie became a 5-2 deficit.  He took his third loss and remains winless in five starts.

From the fifth inning to the ninth, the Majors scored 18 runs and ran away with it.

Second baseman Yordan Manduley exited the game in the sixth inning, limping off the field with an ankle injury after attempting to field a grounder.

A short bench resulted in two relief pitchers going up to bat for Toronto.

In a game that the Leafs lost by 16 runs it's hard to call these highlights, but:

Catcher Matt Brandt drove in two runs with a single in the fourth inning.

Pitcher Reinaldo De Paula played second base for what appears to be the first time ever in his nine-year playing career.  He replaced Manduley and played three-plus innings without incident. 

Right fielder Yasiel Puig hit his fifteenth home run of the 2026 season and continues to lead the league in that category.

London 20 17 1

Toronto 4 10 3

W - Perez (2-1, 4.19)

L - Dimidjian (0-3, 9.26)

S - Orfaly (1)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, August 9, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals (resumption of a suspended game)

Guelph players celebrate their win at Hastings Stadium.

After three high-scoring affairs (some resolving themselves better than others), the Toronto Maple Leafs ended their week quietly.  Too quietly.

Back in June, the Leafs played exactly one-third of an inning against the Guelph Royals before a sudden rainstorm swamped Hastings Stadium.  The suspended game was resumed on Sunday under hot, sunny skies.

Yuto Nakata made the start on the mound for the Mapes.  He was tagged for a couple of hits in the second inning that gave the Royals a one-run lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Royals extended their lead.  A sac fly and a triple off Nakata brought in two more runs.  The man from Japan pitched seven innings.  His final line was three runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Where, during all this time, were the Maple Leaf bats?  Too quiet.

Kyle Thomas, Elvin Liriano, and Marek Deska combined to hold the visitors scoreless over seen innings, scattering five hits.

In the top of the eighth, right fielder Yasiel Puig doubled and scored on an RBI single by left fielder Dennis Dei Baning.  That put the Leafs on the board at last.

Toronto added another run in the ninth.  Third baseman Spenser Ross reached base on an error and came around to score on a double by second baseman Crix Taveras.

That was it.  Guelph took the 3-2 FINAL.  Thomas got the win while Nakata lost his second game of the week, repeating a feat done by the guy he replaced, Yadian Martinez.  Hero to zero, iffin that ain't baseball in a nutshell.

Toronto 2 9 0

Guelph 3 5 2

W - Thomas (1-0, 1.83)

L - Nakata (1-2, 4.05)

S - Escorcia (7)

BOXSCORE

The Leafs' record drops to 12-23 on the season.  They dip down to seventh place, 13 games behind the London Majors and they fade to 8.5 games away from a postseason berth.

The week ahead: 

Thursday, August 13 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Kitchener Panthers, 7:05 pm at Jack Couch Park

Friday, August 14 - Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors, 7:05 pm at Labatt Memorial Park

Saturday, August 15 - Chatham-Kent Barnstormers vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Sunday, August 16 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Stockings, 2:00 pm at Arnold Anderson Stadium

**POST-CREDITS SCENE**

This week we spotted some old friends in new places.

A couple of pitchers from the 2025 Toronto Maple Leafs are plying their trade on distant shores.

Ayami Sato is pitching for the Los Angeles Queens of the brand new Women's Professional Baseball League.  The league launched its inaugural season this month, playing its full schedule in Illinois.

Last Friday, Sato notched her first win for the Queens.  She gave up just one run (unearned) over five innings while striking out four.

On the Christie Hillside's foreign correspondent captured a photo of Sato, all smiles during a pregame huddle with her teammates.

(Photo: Cynthia Robinson)

Alex Kharabian, another '25 Leafs alumnus, has spent the summer in Germany.

He has been playing for the Saarlouis Hornets.  They are in the second tier of Germany's baseball Bundesliga and just won their division by one game.

Kharabian hasn't pitched much this year, and ended up being more of an outfielder/third baseman.  He hit two home runs in the Hornets' home opener and hit a walk-off in their final game of the season, which ended up clinching the division.

He also appeared in a commercial for one of the club's sponsors, a lottery.

Link to the video on Instagram.

(image: Instagram/@Saartoto)