Thud!

Game 7: Hamilton Cardinals at Toronto Maple Leafs, May 27, 2018

Cardinals win 10-8

It started well, but as temperatures soared on a Sunday afternoon at Christie Pits, the Toronto Maple Leafs experienced a mid-game meltdown against the Hamilton Cardinals.  

Racking up seven errors on the day -- including three in the fifth -- the Leafs squandered an early 3-0 lead. A dramatic ninth inning rally fell short, and the home nine ended up on the wrong side of a 10-8 final score.

The tone was arguably set during the first at bat of the game. On a pitch by Hamilton starter Josh Freeman, catcher Mike Reeves (above) was plunked in the back. Thud! 

Reeves was alright. He took his base and later in the inning he scored on a single by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo.

Reeves led off the bottom of the third with a single, and leftfielder Justin Marra gave Toronto a three-run lead with his league-leading fifth home run of the season.

Starter Zach Sloan cruised through the first four innings, giving up just three hits. A fatal fifth inning turned everything around as the Leafs fell apart. Three errors, three walks and three hits including a home run. When Sloan finally battled his way out of the inning, Hamilton had taken a 6-3 lead. Thud!

There was no respite from the sweltering sun, nor from the visitors' bats. Andrew Simonetti relieved Sloan to start the sixth, but Hamilton put two more on the board to increase their lead to 8-3. Thud!

Arman Lakhani took over from Freeman in the bottom of the inning. He gave up singles to second baseman Zac Orchard and DH Damon Topolie. First baseman Julian Johnson followed with another single that scored Orchard. 8-4 Cards through six.

Hamilton added one run in the seventh and ninth innings to stretch their advantage to 10-4. Double thud!

Down to their final three outs, the Leafs tapped into that special reservoir of Christie Mystique for the first time this season. Reeves got things going with a one-out walk. Rightfielder Marcus Knecht was hit by a pitch, and Justin Marra walked to load the bases. Bryan Hames came in to pitch to Solazzo, who ripped a two-run double. That gave Solazzo three RBIs on the game. Hames was immediately yanked for Justin Snow. He faced Orchard, who smacked a two-run single to bring the tying run to the plate. But it was not meant to be, as pinch hitter Garrett Takamatsu grounded into a double play and the Cardinals pinched the win.

Thud.


Hamilton 10-15-0
Toronto 8-10-7

W - Freeman (2-0, 2.76)
L - Sloan (3-1, 2.45)
S - Snow (1)


BOXSCORE


At 5-2, the Leafs are in a logjam atop the IBL standings with the Barrie Baycats and Kitchener Panthers. They will welcome the Panthers to the Pits on May 30 -- the first Wednesday nighter of the season.