Leafs win 13-10
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| FILE PHOTO |
Mock the Mystique at your peril.
The Toronto Maple Leafs scored nine runs in the bottom of the 9th inning last night at Christie Pits to stun the Burlington Bandits with a 13-10 win.
Ryan White (above) put an exclamation point on the night when he hit a walk off home run and added another chapter to the Christie Mystique. Quite simply: no lead is ever safe at the Pits, ever.
Ever.
No matter what the score, teams that take their foot off the gas before the 27th out risk being caught and overtaken by the V-neck locomotive. The Bandits were the latest to fall victim.
The story of the 9th eclipses everything else about this game, but for the comeback to have happened, the Leafs had to fall into a deep hole to begin with. Let's go straight to the recap.
Game Recap:
A cool night at Christie Pits saw the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Burlington Bandits for a makeup game that had been rained out on May 15. Harold Rumion got the ball for the home side, against Christian Hauck for the visitors.
Rumion and Hauck traded perfect first innings. The Leafs got on the board in the bottom of the 2nd. DH Johnathan Solazzo led off with a double, then advanced to third on a groundout by third baseman Sean Mattson. Solazzo then scored on a fielder's choice by second baseman Dan Marra. 1-0 Leafs after two innings of play.
Burlington centerfielder Justin Gideon tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the 3rd.
The game remained tight until the 6th, when the Bandits put five on the board. Second baseman Robert Tavone led off with a walk. Third baseman Shawn Mayhew singled. A walk to Gideon loaded the bases. Leftfielder Canice Ejoh singled to score Tavone. First baseman Jim Martin then cleared the bases with a grand slam that made it 6-1 Burlington midway through six.
Toronto got one back in the bottom of the inning. Rightfielder Matt Blair-Brown was hit by a pitch and took first. He moved to second on a groundout by shortstop Ryan White, and scored on a double by centerfielder Connor Lewis. 6-2 Bandits through six.
In the bottom of the 7th, Mattson singled and then moved to third on a single by catcher Justin Marra. With Blair-Brown at the plate, Hauck was called for a balk and the runners moved up a base. That meant Mattson crossed the plate to make it 6-3 Bandits through seven innings.
Cameron Gray relieved Rumion to start the top of the 8th. He walked three batters in a row and Matt Fiorini was next out of the bullpen. Ejoh hit a double off Fiorini that scored two runs. Martin walked to reload the bases, and a walk to DH Julian Johnson brought in another Burlington run. Ejoh scored on a sac fly by Tavone and the Bandits extended their lead to 10-3.
In the bottom of the 8th, first baseman Jon Waltenbury blasted a solo home run, but the Leafs were still down 10-4 going into the 9th.
After Adam Garner pitched a scoreless top half of the inning, the Leafs came up to the plate in the bottom of the 9th down by six runs. Brandon Hillier, who had relieved Hauck in the 7th, returned to the mound.
Blair-Brown struck out.
White walked.
Lewis flew out. The Leafs were down to their final out. That was when the locomotive roared into life.
Leftfielder Grant Tamane walked.
Waltenbury drove in both White and Tamane with a double.
Solazzo walked. Mattson walked. Bases loaded. Branden Kuzyk came in to pitch for Hillier.
Justin Marra walked, scoring Waltenbury.
Dan Marra walked, scoring Solazzo.
Blair-Brown returned to the plate and stroked a double that brought Mattson and Justin Marra in to score and the game was tied 10-10.
The stage was set for White. He took the first pitch from Kuzyk, and belted it over the fence for a walk off 3-run homer.
By that point, whoever was left at the ballpark would have lost their damn minds, having witnessed another legendary victory at Christie Pits. 13-10 FINAL for the Maple Leafs.
Burlington 10-6-1
Toronto 13-11-1
W - Garner (1-0, 0.00)
L - Kuzyk (0-1, 6.00)
BOXSCORE
At 6-4, the Maple Leafs now sit third in the IBL Standings. Their next game will be in Steeltown on Friday, June 10 against the Hamilton Cardinals.
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