Leafs win 12-7 -- LEAFS WIN THE SERIES 4-1
Jon Waltenbury was having a brutal night.
Playing first base for the Toronto Maple Leafs in game five of their quarterfinal series against the Brantford Red Sox, it seemed nothing would go his way. Or rather, too many things were going his way, and right past him.
Facing elimination, the Sox gave it their all and built up a 7-3 lead midway through the game. At least three hits that the Sox sent towards first base got by Waltenbury, including one that he Bucknered for an error.
With the Leafs still trailing in the 6th, they loaded the bases with two outs. Waltenbury ended the inning by hitting a harmless flyball. He expressed his frustration with strong language, using his outside voice.
But like a microcosm of the entire season, "Wally" regrouped, refocused and revved the engines when it mattered most. He smashed two late inning doubles to drive in four runs including the game winner. The Leafs won their second straight come-from-behind victory, ousted the 3rd seeded Sox from the playoffs, and Waltenbury delivered the knockout blow, BAM.
Many of the Leafs' bats have gotten on a roll in this series, including: Johnathan Solazzo, who launched a no-doubt home run to pull the Leafs to within one run in the 7th; Raul Borjas and Brendan Keys, who both got three timely hits; and Dan Marra, Grant Tamane and Will Richards, who drove in a run each.
Over the course of this five-game series, the Leafs racked up 48 runs. The sleeping giants, they're awake.
The Leafs have been getting solid performances on the mound as well, including last night's tag-team of Brett Van Pelt and Marek Deska.
Van Pelt pitched the first half of the game. He was touched for seven runs, but kept the Red Sox from running away with it in front of a lively home crowd. Deska relieved Van Pelt in the 5th, and quite simply slammed the door right away. He shut the Sox out over the last 4.1 innings, giving up just two hits and a walk while striking out seven. The bulldog is back and the timing couldn't have been better.
Well deserved props to a Red Sox team that refused to quit. Throughout this series, they threatened to retake the momentum and run with it, but they fell just short and ran up against a Leafs team that is firing on all cylinders right now.
The Red Sox go home for the winter, and the Maple Leafs march on to the semi-finals.
Game Recap:
With elimination facing them, the Brantford Red Sox hosted game five of their quarterfinal series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. On the mound for their respective sides were Nathan Forer and Brett Van Pelt.
Both men pitched a scoreless first inning. The Leafs then jumped out to an early lead as third baseman Johnathan Solazzo singled and leftfielder Raul Borjas doubled off Forer. DH Will Richards then flied out to center and Solazzo came in with the first run of the game. 1-0 Leafs after two.
After both pitchers recorded a scoreless third, the Red Sox got to Van Pelt in the bottom of the 4th. Van Pelt walked the high-stockinged second baseman Benjamin Bostick, to lead off. That was followed by another walk to centerfielder Nate DeSouza. Leftfielder Josh McCurdy then hit a shot that went through the legs of first baseman Jon Waltenbury, allowing Bostick to score from second. A single by shortstop Brandon Dailey drove in DeSouza. A double steal then moved Dailey to second and McCurdy to third, and McCurdy scored on a putout by first baseman Lee Delfino. 3-1 Sox after the 4th inning.
The Leafs rallied to tie it up in the top of the 5th. Catcher Brendan Keys led off with a single and shortstop Connor Lewis followed with a double, but Keys was tagged out by catcher Will Forman at home. Rightfielder Grant Tamane then hit into a 4-3 putout that allowed Lewis to score. With the bases empty, second baseman Dan Marra singled and stole second. Waltenbury then hit a single that scored Marra and the game was tied 3-3 midway through the 5th inning.
The Sox came on strong in the bottom of the frame. Van Pelt walked Forman and third baseman Jeff Hunt to start things off. A sacrifice bunt by Bostick advanced the runners, and a sac fly by DeSouza scored Forman. McCurdy then doubled to score Hunt. A wild pitch to Dailey allowed McCurdy to advance to third, and he scored when Dailey hit a single. Dailey promptly stole second, and he too scored on a single by DH Dan Jagdeo. Marek Deska came in to relieve Van Pelt, and he struck out Delfino to end the inning. 7-3 Sox through five.
The Leafs began their comeback in the top of the 6th, as Borjas and Richards singled and centerfielder Tyler Mitchell walked to load the bases. Riley Barr relieved Forer, and Keys battled him through a 10-pitch at bat. With the count 2-1, a passed ball eluded Forman and all the runners advanced, including Borjas who crossed the plate. Keys was eventually walked to reload the bases. Barr then recorded two straight outs, but he hit Marra with a pitch and Richards trotted home with another run. Waltenbury flied out to end the threat, but it was now 7-5 Sox through six.
Solazzo pulled the Leafs to within one run in the 7th with a solo home run that knocked Barr out of the game. Jamie Richmond came in to complete the inning, and the Sox held on to a 7-6 lead through seven.
Keys led off the 8th with a single. Lewis followed that by reaching base on an error by Hunt. Both runners advanced on a sac bunt by Tamane, and then Waltenbury belted a double to score both and put the Leafs ahead. Solazzo was walked intentionally, and then Waltenbury scored on another error by Hunt when Borjas hit one his way. 9-7 Leafs.
The Sox threw everything they could at Deska in the bottom of the 8th, but he got through the inning giving up just a walk and a single with two strikeouts.
The Leafs delivered a knockout blow in the 9th. Christian Garcia relieved Richmond. Keys engaged him in an 8-pitch at bat before finally hitting a single. Garcia then hit Tamane with a pitch and walked Marra to load the bases with one out. A wild pitch let Keys race home with a run, and then Waltenbury walloped his second straight double to drive in Tamane and Marra. 12-7 Leafs midway through the 9th inning.
A leadoff single by Hunt was all the Sox could muster in the bottom of the 9th. Deska recorded the next three outs in a row to clinch the victory and clinch the series for Toronto with a 12-7 final.
Toronto 12-14-1
Brantford 7-6-2
W - Deska (1-0, 0.00)
L - Barr (0-1, 5.06)*
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs win the quarterfinal series 4 games to 1. They move on to the semi-finals where they will face the defending IBL champions and 2015 pennant winners, the Barrie Baycats.
* Pointstreak may have assigned the Loss to the incorrect pitcher, but that's what it says on there now.
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