Royals win 11-1
An early miss, followed by an avalanche.
In the first inning of last night's game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Guelph Royals, the Leafs squandered a tasty scoring opportunity. With a runner in scoring position -- thanks to a single and stolen base by Connor Lewis -- they had a chance to get to Guelph starter Alberto Rodriguez. Instead, Rodriguez set down the next three batters in order, striking out two.
The Royals led off the bottom of the first with a double off of Justin Cicatello, and the inning snowballed from there. A wild pitch, an RBI single, another single, a hit by pitch, another double...
By the time the inning was over, the Royals had smacked five hits and scored six runs.
Back on the mound, Rodriguez ended up throwing a gem: three hits and eight strikeouts over eight innings en route to an 11-1 victory over the V-necks.
Matt Blair-Brown scored the lone Toronto run after reaching base on a hit-by-pitch. He was driven in on a single by Ryan White. That sums up the Leafs offence on the night. They ended up striking out nine times.
The Leafs will seek their revenge later today when this home-and-home series continues at Christie Pits.
Game Recap:
Shortly before last night's game between the Guelph Royals and the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, the clouds over Hastings Stadium released a light rain.
The rain was probably welcome from a groundskeeping point of view. The grass all over the field there is coloured in a psychedelic patchwork of green and brown.
It continued raining for about half an hour before easing off to a drizzle, and the game started 20 minutes late.
The rain was over and done with by the end of the first inning, and so too apparently was this game.
Connor Lewis led off the top of the first with a single off of Guelph starter Alberto Rodriguez. He stole second, but the Leafs were unable to bring him in as Rodriguez struck out two and got out of the inning.
Justin Cicatello was on the mound for Toronto, and the Royals jumped on him in the bottom of the 1st. Shortstop Kingsley Alarcon doubled to lead off. He moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by rightfielder Chandler McLaren. Leftfielder Aaron Loder followed with a single, and then DH Keegan Marsden was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Catcher Patrick Coughlin then doubled home two runs. Second baseman Trevor Nyp next reached first safely on a fielding error and moved to second as Marsden and Coughlin came in to score. Nyp moved to third on a groundout, and he scored on a single by centerfielder Santino Silvestri. When it was all over, the Royals had put six runs on the board for a commanding early lead.
Toronto got right back to work in the top of the 2nd. DH Damon Topolie singled, then centerfielder Matt Blair-Brown got hit by a pitch. Topolie was erased on a fielder's choice by rightfielder Brendan Keys, but Blair-Brown came in to score on a single by shortstop Ryan White. 6-1 Royals midway through the second.
First baseman Matt Schmidt was hit by a Cicatello pitch to start the bottom of the 2nd. McLaren singled next and Loder walked to load the bases. Marsden then hit into a double play that allowed Schmidt to score. 7-1 Royals after two innings of play.
Both starters then pitched quick, scoreless innings until the 7th.
McLaren led off the bottom of the inning with a single, and Loder walked again. A single by Coughlin loaded the bases. Third baseman Turner Spears hit a grounder to second baseman Dan Marra, but Marra's toss to first went past Cicatello, allowing Spears to make it to second while McLaren and Loder scored. A single by Silvestri then drove in Coughlin and Spears, and ended Cicatello's night. He was relieved by Nate Morris, who got out of the inning with no further damage, but the Royals now led 11-1.
Rodriguez retired the side in the top of the 8th before turning it over to Adrian Yuen. He also retired the side in the top of the 9th to secure an 11-1 FINAL for Guelph.
Toronto 1-3-2
Guelph 11-11-2
W - Rodriguez (2-2, 4.44)
L - Cicatello (3-3, 5.60)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs slip to 12-13 with the loss, and maintain their stranglehold on 5th place in the IBL standings. This home-and-home series continues this afternoon at Christie Pits.
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