Leafs win 12-11
The Brantford Red Sox have seen this movie before.
They come into Christie Pits looking to win a playoff series. They're first out of the gate and on the scoreboard. They pile on the runs, blow away the Toronto Maple Leafs' starting pitcher and head for an easy win.
Then, that ol' demon mystique of the place sets in. No lead is ever safe at Christie Pits.
The Leafs score a run, then another. The other side starts to fall apart. Eventually a huge momentum shift swings the score in Toronto's favour and the boys in the V-neck pullovers seize an improbable victory.
It happened again last night.
Pedro De Los Santos played the role of "Act One Murder Victim" on the mound. He gave up a total of 10 runs off 9 hits and a couple of walks before his lifeless body was carried from the stage. By the end of the fourth inning, the Red Sox had amassed a 7-0 lead and their starter Christian Garcia was in control.
Zach Sloan took over in the sixth and he slowed the visitors' momentum. He pitched three solid innings and gave up just one run - a solo dinger - but midway through the seventh the Leafs still trailed 11-3.
First baseman Tyler Hardie had been responsible for all the Leafs' runs up to that point. But like every great comeback it was a total team effort.
The bottom of the seventh began with a single by centerfielder Connor Lewis. He advanced to second on an error, then scored on a single by leftfielder Grant Tamane. DH Jon Waltenbury drew a walk next, then moved to third as Tamane scored on a single by catcher Justin Marra. Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo grounded into a double play, scoring Waltenbury. Rightfielder Zac Orchard singled next, setting the stage for the big bomb of the night. It came off the bat of Adam Odd - who had replaced Ryan White in the fourth inning after the starting shortstop was hit in the hand by a pitch. Odd, who hit no home runs during the regular season, decimated the first pitch he saw from reliever David Hatt. It was a no doubter right off the bat. As the ball sailed over the fence and into the night, the Pits erupted. Hatt dropped one of the loudest F-bombs ever recorded, and the Leafs had made it an 11-8 ballgame.
The momentum all on their side, the Mapes completed the comeback in the bottom of the eighth. Second baseman Dan Marra drew a leadoff walk. Lewis and Tamane followed with singles to load the bases. Waltenbury hit a dribbler and sprinted safely to first as Marra scored. Justin Marra then smacked a 2-run double off reliever Tanner Guindon, bringing in Lewis and Tamane to tie the game. Outfield replacement Daniel Szpik then hit the game winner, a grounder to the pitcher that allowed Waltenbury to score Toronto's 12th run of the night.
Justin Cicatello pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to slam the door shut on Brantford and put another classic Christie comeback in the books. Sloan got the win in a 12-11 final and the Leafs took a 1-0 lead in this quarterfinal series.
Brantford 11-11-3
Toronto 12-12-0
W - Sloan (1-0, 3.00)
L - Harvey (0-1, 108.00)
S - Cicatello (1)
BOXSCORE
If Game One was any indication, this promises to be another wild series between these two clubs. Game Two goes Friday night, August 4th at Arnold Anderson Stadium in Brantford. First pitch is right after sundown, because in some places the clock don't matter.
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