Feeling the Walkoff Woes

Game 20 (rescheduled rainout): Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox, July 25, 2017

Red Sox win 5-4

                                                                                                                                                                            FILE PHOTO

The Toronto Maple Leafs appeared to be cruising along in their game at Arnold Anderson Stadium last night. 

Starter Pedro De Los Santos pitched seven strong innings, striking out nine Brantford Red Sox. His one wobble came in the bottom of the sixth, when Brantford came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game.

De Los Santos handed the ball to Trevor Caughey, who pitched a scoreless eighth after the Leafs had retaken a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Leafs were undone, as Brantford scored the tying and winning runs to make off with a 5-4 victory.

It was an unconventional night for the Torontos. Their first run of the game came in the top of the first, as a bases-loaded wild pitch allowed third baseman Johnathan Solazzo to score.

In the top of the second, centerfielder Greg Carrington reached first on a dropped third strike, stole second, then scored on a fielding error when leftfielder Grant Tamane hit one to third base. 2-0 Leafs through two.

Toronto continued their unconventional ways in the top of the sixth. Shortstop Ryan White was hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on a single by second baseman Dan Marra, then raced home when Marra stole second. That padded the Leafs lead out to 3-0.

De Los Santos gave up some critical blows in the bottom of the sixth: a two-run homer by Dan Jagdeo and a game-tying single by Nic Burdett.

Hot-hitting rookie Zac Orchard put the Leafs back ahead in the top of the seventh with an RBI single that scored catcher Justin Marra, who had led off the inning with a double.

The Brantfords would not be denied on this night, as Jagdeo ended up hitting the game-winning sac fly to walk it off for the home side. The final score was 5-4 and Caughey took his first loss of the season as De Los Santos' strong effort went for naught.


Toronto 4-9-1
Brantford 5-11-2

W - Betts (3-2, 4.18)
L - Caughey (2-1, 7.14)


BOXSCORE


The Leafs find themselves hanging on to home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs -- which start next week -- but the gap has tightened. With a 15-17 record, they still hold 4th place in the IBL standings, but the Red Sox are just a game behind. The Leafs' road trip continues at Nelson Park this Thursday night, July 27, against the Burlington Herd.