Majors win 7-5
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| FILE PHOTO |
Thirteen hits, including a home run by Johnathan Solazzo (above), were not enough for the Toronto Maple Leafs to overcome a marathon pitching performance by Oscar Perez as the London Majors prevailed last night at Labatt Memorial Park.
The home nine won 7-5 to take a 3-2 lead in this semifinal series.
Perez threw 149 pitches and struck out nine for the complete game win.
The Leafs found themselves battling back throughout the game. Each time they got close, the Majors would add another run or two until the visitors finally ran out of chances.
Toronto rapped five doubles on the night, including two by Sean Mattson. Solazzo led the way with three hits and a pair of RBIs. Grant Tamane joined him with three hits of his own. Jon Waltenbury and Ryan White each drove in a run.
On the mound, Marek Deska battled Perez into the sixth inning before handing the ball over to Justin Cicatello the rest of the way.
The Leafs will now face their third elimination game of the postseason. They won the previous two, and will enjoy home field advantage back at Christie Pits for Game 6 of this series.
Game Recap:
A sunny evening in the Forest City saw the London Majors host the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 5 of their semifinal series.
Prior to the game, online reports indicated that the IBL had brought down disciplinary measures stemming from some of the events in Game 4. Managers Damon Topolie of Toronto and Roop Chanderdat of London were suspended for one game, and the Majors were issued a $1,000 fine.
As Game 5 got underway, Oscar Perez took the mound for the home side against Marek Deska for the visitors.
Perez retired the side in the top of the 1st.
Majors second baseman Chris McQueen singled to lead off the bottom of the 1st, and then Deska hit leftfielder RJ Fuhr with a pitch. A walk to centerfielder Byron Reichstein loaded the bases, and then a single by first baseman Cleveland Brownlee drove in two runs. That put the Majors ahead 2-0 after one inning of play.
It took two batters for the Leafs to tie the game in the top of the 2nd. DH Sean Mattson led off with a double, and then third baseman Johnathan Solazzo knocked one out of the park for his team-leading fifth home run of the postseason. The score was tied 2-2 through two innings.
Both starters traded scoreless halfs of the 3rd inning.
Catcher Michael Ambrose led off the bottom of the 4th with a single, and he was driven in on an RBI double by rightfielder LeJon Baker, who ended up at third base on the play. Two batters later, Baker scored on a groundout by third baseman Carlos Arteaga. That gave the Majors a 4-2 lead through four innings.
Ambrose led off the bottom of the 6th with another single. He moved to second on a single by DH Kyle Gormandy, then scored on a single by Arteaga. Justin Cicatello relieved Deska to get out of the inning, but it was now 5-2 Majors after six.
The Leafs started another clawback in the top of the 7th, as centerfielder Connor Lewis led off with a double. A single by leftfielder Grant Tamane moved him to third, and he scored on a sac fly by first baseman Jon Waltenbury. 5-3 Majors midway through the 7th.
In the bottom of the 7th, shortstop Keith Kandel started things off with a single, but was wiped out at second on a fielder's choice by Reichstein. Brownlee then hit an RBI double to plate Reichstein, and he ended up at third base on the play. Brownlee then came in to score on a wild pitch by Cicatello that made it 7-3 London after seven.
The Leafs' clawback continued in the top of the 8th. Mattson led off the inning by hitting his second double of the game. He moved to third on a single by Solazzo, and scored on a fielder's choice hit by shortstop Ryan White. 7-4 London through eight.
Down to their final three outs, the Leafs continued battling. Tamane started the inning with a double -- Toronto's fifth two-base hit of the night. Perez responded by getting the next two batters out. Mattson then reached first on an error by the pitcher, which allowed Tamane to score all the way from second. Perez then recorded his ninth strikeout of the game on his 149th pitch of the night to seal a complete game and a 7-5 FINAL for London.
Toronto 5-13-0
London 7-11-1
W - Perez (3-0, 2.95)
L - Deska (1-3, 6.86)
BOXSCORE
The series continues with Game 6 later tonight at Christie Pits, with the Leafs needing a win to stave off elimination.
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