Baycats win 13-7
Not much to rave about in the Toronto Maple Leafs' loss to the Barrie Baycats last night at Coates Stadium.
On a hot and sticky night, the Leafs were slammed, jammed and rammed for a 13-7 loss to the defending IBL champions.
The first half of the game was closely-fought, with Barrie holding on to a 3-2 lead midway through the 5th inning.
Everything unravelled for Toronto in the bottom of the 5th. The Baycats exploded for eight runs, capped off by a grand slam by Jordan Castaldo.
A couple of fielding errors with two outs -- one in the 2nd and one in the 5th -- resulted in runs for Barrie at key moments.
In his first start since pitching a complete game victory last weekend in Guelph, Dillan Mulholland was roughed up over 4.1 innings, giving up five earned runs en route to a loss. Harold Rumion made his Maple Leafs debut, pitching in relief for the remaining 3.2 innings.
All night long it looked like the Leafs were swinging pool cues in a billiards hall riot. Lots of contact being made, but not the right kind. They did scatter seven RBIs up and down the lineup. Jon Waltenbury knocked in a couple, and Johnathan Solazzo, Troy Daring, Brendan Keys, Grant Tamane and Sean Mattson each drove one in.
Brett Lawson earned the win for Barrie despite giving up eight hits, five earned runs, three walks and three balks.
Once the game was over the Leafs couldn't board the team plane fast enough, headed to London for the next stop on their road trip.
Game Recap:
The Barrie Baycats hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs at Coates Stadium, with Brett Lawson facing Dillan Mulholland on the mound.
The Leafs jumped on Lawson in the first inning with three straight singles. Second baseman Dan Marra got aboard first, moved to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a single by rightfielder Jon Waltenbury, and scored on a single by first baseman Johnathan Solazzo.
Barrie tied the game in the bottom of the 2nd inning. DH Brandon Dhue hit a two-out double, then scored when second baseman Connor Morro hit a flyball deep to center which was misplayed by Troy Daring for an error. 1-1 after two.
The Baycats added two more in the bottom of the 4th. Shortstop Branfy Infante reached first on a fielder's choice. This was followed by a single by Dhue and a walk to Morro to load the bases. Mulholland then walked centerfielder Glenn Jackson to bring home Infante. Dhue also scored when rightfielder Ryan Spataro hit into a fielder's choice. 3-1 Baycats through four.
In the top of the 5th, Leafs shortstop Ryan White and leftfielder Grant Tamane each got aboard on walks. Up next, Dan Marra reached first on an error by Infante and the bases were loaded. Waltenbury hit into a fielder's choice that scored White and it was 3-2 Baycats midway through the 5th inning.
The bottom of the 5th served up the first trademark IBL One Big Inning to befall the Leafs this season. Barrie sent 12 men to the plate, scoring eight runs and driving Mulholland from the game. Third baseman Jordan Castaldo led off with a single, then scored on a double by first baseman Kevin Atkinson. Left fielder Steve Lewis doubled next, moving Atkinson to third. Mulholland then walked Dhue to load the bases, and Leafs manager Damon Topolie called for Harold Rumion to come on in relief. A single by Morro drove in Atkinson and Lewis. After Rumion struck out Jackson for the second out of the inning, Spataro grounded sharply to Solazzo, whose toss to Rumion at first went high. Spataro was safe and Dhue scored. Catcher Kyle DeGrace walked to load the bases, and Castaldo came up to bat for the second time in the inning. He cleared the bases with a grand slam home run and it was 11-2 Baycats after five innings of play.
The Leafs immediately began clawing back. Third baseman Sean Mattson singled to start the 6th inning. DH Justin Marra singled next. Daring singled next, scoring Mattson. Catcher Brendan Keys singled next, scoring Marra. During Daring's at bat, Lawson had been called for his third balk of the game and was rapidly losing patience with the home plate umpire. Barrie manager Angus Roy brought in Jaspreet Shergill to pitch in relief. A groundout by White moved Keys to second and Daring to third, and then a sac fly by scored Daring. 11-5 Baycats midway through six.
Barrie got one back in the bottom of the 6th. Infante led off with a double off Rumion, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by Spataro. 12-5 Baycats after six.
Spataro drove in his third run of the game in the bottom of the 8th. After Jackson had singled ahead of him, he hit a single to centerfield that brought Jackson in all the way from first, making it 13-5 with the Leafs down to their final outs.
After Adam Hawes pitched a scoreless 8th, Chris Nagorski came in to finish the game for Barrie. He walked Dan Marra, then gave up a double to pinch hitter Argenis Vargas. Solazzo hit a sac fly that plated Marra and moved Vargas to third. Mattson then singled to drive in Vargas and make it 13-7, and that would be the final score as Nagorski got out of the inning with no further damage.
Toronto 7-12-2
Barrie 13-13-1
W - Lawson (2-0, 3.75)
L - Mulholland (1-1, 5.28)
BOXSCORE
With a 3-2 record, the Maple Leafs are now tied with Barrie for third place in the IBL standings.
Their next game is on the road later tonight against the London Majors.
Where does the team plane wait for the players in Midhurst?
ReplyDeleteThe plane was parked around the corner from the ballpark. They taxi over to Bayfield Street and use it as a runway.
Delete