Bandits win 11-5
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost battles on two fronts last night at Christie Pits.
A dubious strike zone resulted in verbal exchanges with the home plate ump that led to two Leaf ejections.
Meanwhile, the Burlington Bandits kept sneaking runs onto the board, compiling a victorious final score of 11-5. They did a better job than Toronto of "hitting 'em where they ain't" all night long. A large hillside audience on hand that hoped to catch the Christie Mystique spark a walkoff win melted away into the night as that hope dwindled.
The Bandits scored runs in small bunches. Five off of starter Brett van Pelt, four off of Dillon Mulholland and two off of Adam Garner.
Jon Waltenbury and Justin Marra put runs on the board for Toronto in the third inning, with Marra smashing a 2-run homer.
Waltenbury was tossed out after his at bat in the third, and Will Richards earned an early shower in the eighth.
The Leafs scratched out a couple more runs late, but it wasn't enough this night.
Game Recap:
It was Rock 'n' Roll Night at Christie Pits, as an assortment of classic tunes filled the air on a warm summer evening. The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Burlington Bandits in a makeup of their rained out June 5th game. On the mound were Brett van Pelt for the V-necks against Jack Dennis for B-town.
The Bandits struck first right off the top. Centerfielder Justin Gideon drew a walk to start, and then DH Canice Ejoh singled. Van Pelt struck out the next two, but a single by third baseman Robert Tavone loaded the bases. Rightfielder John Whaley was up next, and he hit a two-RBI single that gave the Bandits an early 2-0 lead.
The Leafs went down in order in the bottom of the 1st, and both pitchers tossed scoreless innings in the 2nd.
In the top of the 3rd, first baseman Julian Johnson doubled. Whaley also doubled, driving in Johnson for a 3-0 Bandits lead midway through three.
The Leafs mounted a comeback in the bottom of the frame. Leftfielder Grant Tamane led off with a walk, then stole second and ended up at third on the play. Shortstop Ryan White drew a walk to get aboard. After centerfielder Connor Lewis struck out, DH Jon Waltenbury grounded into a fielder's choice that allowed Tamane to score. Waltenbury was then ejected by the home plate ump, after mistaking him for a cricket umpire. Words were exchanged. Waltenbury hit the showers. Catcher Justin Marra was next man up, and he absolutely decimated a pitch from Dennis, blasting it over the fence in right-center. The fielders barely moved. That tied the game at 3-3 after three.
Both starters settled down and threw scoreless innings in the 4th and 5th.
Whaley led off the top of the 6th with a single. That was followed by another single, hit by leftfielder Carlos Villoria. A double by shortstop Nolan Pettipiece brought home Whaley. A groundout by Gideon scored Villoria and that made it 5-3 Bandits after six.
Burlington pulled away for good in the top of the 7th. Dillon Mulholland came on in relief of van Pelt. Catcher Kevin Hussey led off with a double, and then Johnson was hit by a pitch. A single by Whaley scored Hussey, and then a single by Villoria scored Johnson. A fielder's choice by Pettipiece wiped Villoria off the basepaths but moved Whaley to third. Second baseman Kaleb Leff then walked to load the bases. Gideon singled next, driving in Whaley and Pettipiece, but Leff was gunned out a third on a throw from Tamane to end the inning. The Bandits had put four more on the board and led 9-3 midway through the 7th inning.
The Leafs loaded the bases in the bottom of the 7th, but Dennis got out of the jam without surrendering a run.
Adam Garner came in to pitch the top of the 8th. After giving up a single to Hussey, Johnson hit a two-run homer that made it 11-3 Bandits midway through eight.
Luke Melymick relieved Dennis to start the bottom of the 8th. After recording two outs, he surrendered a single to rightfielder Will Richards, and walked first baseman Damon Topolie and Tamane. With the bases loaded, White appeared to ground into an out, but the throw to first was misplayed, allowing Richards to score. Richards was then heaved for questioning the umpire's eyesight. The rattled umpiring crew actually needed to be directed back into position by the veteran Topolie before play could resume, but the inning ended on a groundout by Lewis and three more baserunners stranded. 11-4 Bandits after eight.
In the bottom of the 9th, Justin Marra singled and third baseman Johnathan Solazzo was hit by a pitch from Melymick. Second baseman Dan Marra singled to load the bases again. Pinch hitter Brendan Keys then grounded to the shortstop, who threw the ball away at first. That allowed two runs to score but Topolie made the final out, and that would be all as the Bandits made off into the night with an 11-5 FINAL.*
* That's as best I could make out from the chaotic description of events on Pointstreak. I was on the subway by the time the 9th rolled around. Worst fan reporter ever.
Burlington 11-5-1
Toronto 5-5-0
W - Dennis (2-4, 7.94)
L - van Pelt (1-5, 8.03)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs are now 15-16 and have probably mathematically clinched 5th place in the IBL standings. They hit the Golden Horseshoe this weekend, starting with a game against the Hamilton Cardinals at Bernie Arbour stadium this Friday night, July 22.
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