Game 8: Kitchener Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs, May 30, 2018
Panthers win 11-8
It was a mauling.
Through four innings of play at Christie Pits last night, the Kitchener Panthers had scratched up two Toronto Maple Leafs pitchers for a total of ten runs off ten hits and a couple of errors.
The assault included a home run that Panthers centerfielder Andy Leader hit off of starter R.J. Page (above). Page was yanked with no out in the top of the third and the Leafs down 8-0. Reliever Pedro De Los Santos struck out three to get out of the inning, but the Panthers slashed him for two more runs in the top of the fourth. That made it a 10-0 score and thoughts began to turn towards making an early departure from the park.
Regular readers will know the line that comes next: No lead is safe at Christie Pits. The mystique of the place demands that viewers hang on until the final out, because an epic comeback is always possible.
And so, in the bottom of the sixth, it began.
Catcher Justin Marra led off with a double. After centerfielder Marcus Knecht grounded out, third baseman Johnathan Solazzo singled, moving Justin to third. He scored when brother Dan Marra, playing shortstop this evening, singled. Leftfielder Zac Orchard then drew a walk to load the bases. DH Garrett Takamatsu then smacked a double that drove in two. Rightfielder Daniel Szpik struck out, but second baseman Grant Tamane kept the scoring rally going with a two-run single. That ended the night for Kitchener starter Jonder Martinez, who was relieved by Stephen Gade. First baseman Mike Reeves welcomed Gade with a single that moved Tamane to third. Justin Marra then returned to the plate and got his second hit of the inning, a single that scored Tamane. The Panthers escaped the inning having given up seven hits and six runs to make it a 10-6 ballgame. Those who had earlier thoughts of departure kept themselves firmly rooted where they were.
As night settled in around the park, rendering my broke-ass camera useless, Zac Orchard made the game closer by knocking a two-run homer off new pitcher Eric Steeves. That made it a 10-8 ballgame through seven.
However that was as close as it would get. The Black Cats tacked on one more run in the ninth and held off the mystique for an 11-8 FINAL score.
Kitchener 11-14-0
Toronto 8-11-2
W - Jonder Martinez (1-0, 4.26)
L - Page (1-2, 9.25)
S - Lahera (2)
BOXSCORE
With the win, the Panthers take sole possession of the lead in the IBL standings. The 5-3 Leafs are in third, behind Kitchener and Barrie. Their next games are this weekend, when they play a home-and-home series against the Guelph Royals. On Saturday, June 2nd the Leafs will travel to Guelph for a day game, and return to Christie Pits for the return engagement on Sunday afternoon, June 3rd.
No comments:
Post a Comment