Following the 2024 Toronto Maple Leafs baseball season.


Saturday, August 5, 2017

Red Sox Win On One Bad Bounce

Quarterfinals Game 2: Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox, August 4, 2017

Red Sox win 3-2 (10 innings)
Series tied 1-1




Last night at Arnold Anderson Stadium in Brantford, I was watching Trevor Caughey warm up in the bullpen (above) when another fan sidled up beside me.

We watched in silence for a few moments, then he asked: "You think we'll get some pitching tonight, or another slo pitch score?"

Since I'm painfully shy and socially awkward, I completely ignored him. He eventually shifted away, muttering to himself.

However, Caughey answered the man's question with a brilliant performance for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In Game Two of their quarterfinal series against the Brantford Red Sox, it was Caughey against all takers for nine innings.

In a smothering 146-pitch effort on a cold and windy night, Caughey struck out 12. He gave up 10 hits, but never in bunches and always hunkered down when a key out was needed. After giving up one run in each of the first two innings, he shut down the Carmines the rest of the way.

For the Leafs it was the other way around. They were kept off the scoreboard by starter Jamie Richmond until the top of the fifth inning. Shortstop Adam Odd hit a leadoff single, stole second, took third on a passed ball, then scored on a groundout by leftfielder Grant Tamane.

The score remained 2-1 until the top of the eighth. Dalton Harvey was on the mound in relief of Richmond. Tamane singled, then took second on a sac bunt by second baseman Dan Marra. Harvey was relieved by Tanner Guindon, who faced catcher Justin Marra. Making it look easy, Marra poked an RBI double to the outfield to score Tamane and tie the game 2-2.

Neither team scored in the ninth. Stefan Strecker pitched a scoreless top of the tenth for Brantford. Having gone the distance, Caughey turned the ball over to Marek Deska for the bottom of the tenth. Quick as lightning, Cody Mombourquette singled and Benjamin Bostick doubled. With Mombourquette on third, Deska was in a jam. The ordeal ended in short order, as a pitch to Nate DeSouza got by Marra. 

Caughey's gem was lost on one bad bounce. Mombourquette scored on the passed ball, the Red Sox won 3-2, and the quarterfinal series was tied at a game apiece.


Toronto 2-6-0
Brantford 3-12-0

W - Strecker (1-0, 0.00)
L - Deska (0-1, ----)


The Leafs will look to retake the advantage in this series on Sunday afternoon at Christie Pits. First pitch of Game 3 will be at 2:00 pm.

























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