Leafs win 12-5
Oh you sneaky Bandits. Look at you, come over here from Burlington, slinking around Christie Pits in small numbers when there's hardly anyone around to spot you.
It's an opportune time for some banditry. It's been a busy weekend for the Torontos. They played Canada Day Friday way down in London, then a Saturday at the All Star Game in Barrie for some players, and now one more game to cap things off this first weekend of July.
Check you out Bandits, battling back from an early deficit, taking the lead, knocking out the starter after five innings and threatening to overturn the natural order of things. Got some cojones on you.
Your cheering section is more numerous than your lineup card. They are all spread out on the hillsides and behind home plate, willing you to a shock victory. Dastardly, that is.
Have you met Justin Marra?
He's the guy who's putting a stop to this. He's the guy you walked three times and struck out once, before letting him come to the plate with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 8th. He's the guy who blasted a grand slam and put the game out of reach.
Justin Marra is in you, Bandits.*
12-5, final score. Busted.
* Fuck it, I'm not changing that.
Game Recap:
On a summer's day with small bunches of clouds passing high in the sky, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcomed the Burlington Bandits to Christie Pits. Dillon Mulholland made the start for Toronto against Alex Nolan.
Mulholland pitched a 1-2-3 first, then it was Toronto's turn at the plate. Centerfielder Connor Lewis reached first on an error by Burlington, the first of their three on the day. Lewis stole second and first baseman Jon Waltenbury was walked. Catcher Justin Marra was up next and he also walked. Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo was up next and was in the process of being walked when Nolan threw a wild pitch that allowed Lewis to score. Second baseman Dan Marra then reached first on a grounder to third baseman Nolan Pettipiece, who threw Waltenbury out at home. DH Damon Topolie then singled to drive in Justin Marra. Solazzo made the turn at third, but was thrown out at home to end the inning. 2-0 Leafs after one.
The Bandits jumped on Mulholland in the third. They started the game with a short roster and went without a DH, forcing Nolan to bat. He walked to leadoff the inning. Singles by rightfielder Luke Melymick and second baseman Christian Hauck loaded the bases. Another single by shortstop Grant Okawa scored Nolan. The bases remained loaded, but not for long as first baseman Julian Johnson cleared them with a double and made it 4-2 Bandits midway through the 3rd.
The Leafs got one back in the bottom of the inning when Solazzo led off with a double and Dan Marra drove him in with a single. 4-3 Bandits after three innings of play.
Toronto retook the lead in the 6th. Mulholland was relieved by David Ertl, who pitched a perfect top half of the inning. Nolan moved to second base and Hauck went to the mound to start the bottom of the inning. Shortstop Ryan White led off with a single. That was followed by a cannon shot to right field by Waltenbury. Both the ball and the rightfielder Melymick crashed into the fence. Waltenbury made it all the way to third and White scored. A sac fly by Solazzo scored Waltenbury and the Leafs were back ahead 5-4 at the end of the 6th.
The Leafs added two more in the bottom of the 7th. Left fielder Grant Tamane singled and moved to second on a wild pitch by Hauck. Lewis walked next. White hit into a fielder's choice that eliminated Tamane at third but still left two men on. Waltenbury walked to load the bases, and then Hauck walked Marra to bring Lewis in to score. Another walk to Solazzo scored White. Burlington made another on-field switch, moving Hauck to right field and bringing Branden Kuzyk to the mound. Kuzyk had replaced Melymick in right after the 6th, and he got the final out of the inning but it was now 7-4 Leafs after seven.
Burlington showed some tenacity as they faced new pitcher Nate Morris in the 8th. Hauck walked to start the inning and Okawa advanced to first on an error. Hauck tagged and moved to third on a flyout, then scored on a single by Pettipiece. 7-5 Leafs midway through the 8th.
The game was put away for good in the bottom of the 8th. Pinch hitter Troy Daring reached first on an error. Right fielder Brendan Keys singled and Tamane walked to load the bases. A sac fly by Lewis scored Daring. White singled to load the bases again. That set the stage for Justin Marra to come up to the plate with two out. He worked the count to 2-2 before smashing the next pitch over the fence in center-right for a grand slam. Marra's blast made it 12-5 Leafs going into the 9th.
Adam Garner relieved Morris in the 9th. He walked the leadoff man, induced a double-play, and then ended the game with a strikeout for a 12-5 FINAL for Toronto.
Burlington 5-6-3
Toronto 12-12-1
W - Ertl (2-0, 3.60)
L - Hauck (2-3, 3.89)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs' 11-11 record is good for 5th place in the IBL standings. Their next game will be at the Pits on Wednesday night, July 6th, when they host the Barrie Baycats.
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