Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - August 7 to 13, 2023
Heart-stopping comebacks and massive blowouts made the Toronto Maple Leafs the cardiac kids of Week 13 in the IBL season.
The most audacious deal Jack Dominico ever pulled off was buying a team airplane for his Toronto Maple Leafs.
It was the 1980s, a dominant decade for the Leafs. They won three IBL championships and Jack was flying high as the league's most successful owner.
He never said whether he liked the comparison or not, but some likened Jack to New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, a man who loved winning, who loved to boast about winning, and who wanted only the best for his baseball franchise.
For Jack, "only the best" meant providing his team with more than gas money or a team bus, it meant a charter airplane. When the opportunity presented itself in the form of a bankruptcy auction for Nelson Skalbania, Jack submitted a surprise bid and came away the owner of a cherry-red Gulfstream jet.
Jack called a news conference at Toronto Island Airport and unveiled his new aquisition. The sporting press quickly dubbed the jet The Flying Rage, perhaps because of its cherry-red paint job, perhaps in reference to its new owner's legendary temper.
That first summer, the Leafs flew around the province like major leaguers. Jack issued media advisories announcing flight departures and arrivals, encouraging fans around the IBL to flock to their local airstrip to witness his club's opulence. The club's publications contained as many photos of the plane as it did of its players.
It didn't last.
Fuel costs were substantial but not prohibitive. However, Jack started skimping on maintenance and crew. The way he saw it, some ballsy juco kid who was good at handling tools and forging credentials could keep the plane airborne and keep a spot on the roster. Win-win. Most years it worked out, but as the years passed, The Flying Rage flew less and less often.
Eventually, it was parked at the island airport and forgotten.
Following Jack's passing in 2022, his holdings were opened up for review. The executors of the Dominico estate were surprised to discover The Flying Rage among them. In an effort to showcase the club to prospective new owners, the plane was given a thorough cleaning. The tarps came off, the workings were oiled, and dozens of old McDonald's styrofoam containers were tossed out.
This summer, Jack's old plane has been transporting the Toronto Maple Leafs to all of their road games. The Leafs might be having their usual .500 regular season, but no one can deny that they are once again kings of the skies.
This week, the plane racked up considerable mileage. The Leafs' schedule included a gruelling four-city road trip, with The Flying Rage slated to touch down in Brantford, Kitchener, Hamilton and Welland before bringing the boys back home for Sunday's matinée at Christie Pits.
The first game was rained out, but the two that followed were heart-stoppers that featured huge late-inning comebacks. Cardiac Leafs! The Leafs ended up on the losing side, then the winning side. The final two games of the week were massive blowouts. Once again, the Leafs lost one and won one in classic Leafs fashion.
And now here's the recap of Week 13 in Toronto Maple Leafs baseball.
Sunday, August 7, 2023 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox - RAINED OUT
No sooner had The Flying Rage touched down at Brantford Municipal Airport than this makeup game against the Red Sox was postponed. The rainy and turbulent flight that had some players dashing to the restroom should have been the clearest sign.
The game is now scheduled as the Leafs' regular season finale, to take place on Monday, August 21 at 8:00 pm.
Thursday, August 10, 2023 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Kitchener Panthers
 |
| Yoichi Ishihara belts a three-run homer as part of the Leafs' late-innings comeback attempt in Kitchener. (image: Panthers Baseball Online) |
A colossal comeback in Kitchener fell short by a run.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were blanked over the first six innings at Jack Couch Park, then stormed back against the Panthers to tie the game at seven and send it to extras.
One run in the first, three runs in the third, two in the fifth and one more in the sixth, all added up to a big lead for the Panthers. The runs came at the expense of starter Sam Greene, who pitched into the sixth before a solo home run made it 7-0 and ended his evening.
The Leafs erupted for seven runs over the final three innings.
In the top of the seventh, catcher Justin Marra and first baseman Jordan Castaldo both hit RBI singles to put the Leafs on the board, down 7-2.
In the top of the eighth, pinch hitter Yoishi Ishihara - the pride of Okayama Prefecture - hit a three-run home run. Ishihara's round trip was his first of the season and made it a 7-5 ballgame.
In the top of the ninth, the Leafs got a helping hand, or rather a lack of one in the Panthers outfield. DH Garrett Takamatsu and Ishihara both hit routine pop flies with men aboard, and both times the ball was dropped in right field. Both errors resulted in a run crossing the plate, and the Leafs made it all the way back to make it a 7-7 ballgame through nine. Kolossal!
Relievers Chris Nagorski, Adam Marra and Marek Deska held the Panthers scoreless from the sixth through the ninth innings.
After the Leafs failed to score in the top of the tenth, Deska returned to the mound.
The Panthers played the tenth inning ghost runner to perfection, using a couple of sacrifice hits to advance Raul Gonzalez from second to third, and from third to home with the winning run. After giving up seven unanswered runs, they walked off with a win. Deska took the loss, and the Leafs boarded The Flying Rage for Hamilton's John C. Munro International Airport.
Toronto 7 9 1
Kitchener 8 12 4
W - Bahnuk (1-0, 1.84)
L - Deska (1-2, 5.62)
Friday, August 11, 2023 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals
 |
| Adam Marra slammed the door on disaster Friday night in Hamilton, earning his third save of the season in the process. |
On Friday night in the Hammer, what began as a pitchers' duel ended as a demolition derby.
Wilgenis Alvarado toed the rubber for Toronto against Jayson Wilbur for the Cardinals.
The home side got on the scoreboard first. A double by Jacob Underwood scored two runs to give Hamilton a 2-0 lead after two innings.
The visitors scored right back in the top of the third. All nine men came to the plate, and three RBI singles in a row by DH Garrett Takamatsu, third baseman Johnathan Solazzo and left fielder Yoichi Ishihara put the Leafs ahead 3-2. These runs turned out to be crucial.
Alvarado sailed through the sixth inning with no further damage done.
In the top of the seventh inning, Toronto erupted for seven runs. Twelve men came to the plate and went to town on Cardinals relief pitching. Ishihara drew a leadoff walk to start the procession. He scored when right fielder J.J. Dutton hit into a fielder's choice and reached first base. Shortstop Jose Vinicio singled in the second run of the inning. Dutton came around to score on a wild pitch by reliever Brett Lawson, who ended up walking the bases loaded. And then: GOLAZZO! GOL GOL GOL GOL! A grand slam deep into the night beyond Bernie Arbour Stadium. Solazzo's swat put four more on the board and made it a 10-2 ballgame. These runs turned out to be crucial.
Julian Tymochko took over on the mound for Toronto. He gave up a solo home run to make it 10-3 through seven.
In the top of the eighth, Dutton led off with a single, moved to second on a fielder's choice by Vinicio, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by catcher Justin Marra. This put the Leafs ahead 11-3. This run turned out to be crucial.
The cruciality of all this Toronto scoring was proven during bottom of the eighth, when a near-disaster unfolded.
Evan Elliott started the inning on the mound. He struggled. After hitting a batter and walking another, he induced a double play and things looked alright for a moment, but the third out proved elusive. Elliott unleashed a volley of wild pitches that resulted in three more walks and two runs crossing the plate. Manager Rob Butler called for Zach Sloan from the bullpen. Sloan faced four batters and they all singled. Five more runs crossed the plate. Butler signaled to the pen, and Adam Marra came to the rescue. Marra threw one pitch and got Dennis Dei Baning to pop out. The inning was finally over, and the Leafs clung to an 11-10 lead.
Marra returned to the mound to close it out in the ninth. A couple of runners got on base, but Marra got the Cards to fly out three times before they could score.
Final. 11-10. Another cardiac finish. Alvarado got the win, Marra got the save, the Leafs grabbed their gear and The Flying Rage took off for Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport.
Toronto 11 14 2
Hamilton 10 12 0
W - Alvarado (2-1, 2.47)
L - Wilbur (0-5, 6.83)
S - A. Marra (3)
Saturday, August 12, 2023 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Welland Jackfish
 |
| The meme says it all. (image: mapleleafsbaseball on Instagram) |
This game was brutal, just brutal.
So brutal that the Maple Leafs social media team went with self-deprecating memes to acknowledge the beating administered at Welland Stadium on Saturday night. What else can you do?
Take a moment to appreciate Jose Vinicio, that's what. The Leafs' fleet-footed shortstop got the game off on the right foot with a leadoff single. His customary theft of second base followed, and he moved to third on a ground out. Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Vinicio to score and for one half-inning, the Leafs went ahead.
The Welland Jackfish took over from there. Facing Toronto starter Julian Valdez, they scored three runs in the bottom of the first, four more in the second, and never looked back. Valdez lasted five innings and of the seven runs he gave up, only two were earned.
On the other side of the mound, James Bradwell pitched into the seventh. He held the Leafs to that first inning run until Vinicio struck again. In the top of the seventh he tripled and scored on an error. Fish seven, Vinny two. Appreciate this man!
For daring to score again, the Leafs were rewarded with some more beatings from Welland bats. In the bottom of the seventh, relievers Julian Tymochko and Chris Nagorski were each scored upon three times, and the Jackfish upped their lead to eleven runs.
The final score was 13-2. Valdez took the loss and the stinging Leafs jetted home to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, their gruelling road trip finally at an end.
Toronto 2 8 4
Welland 13 16 2
W - Bradwell (4-0, 2.38)
L - Valdez (3-7, 7.38)
Sunday, August 13, 2023 - Brantford Red Sox at Toronto Maple Leafs
 |
| Everyone at Christie Pits watches the ball leave planet Earth as Johnathan Solazzo commences home run trot number 14 this season, tying him for the league lead with one week to go. |
When nightfall comes to Brantford, and long-suffering Red Sox fans cry themselves to sleep crushing their "SIX-TIME IBL CHAMPIONS 2008-2013" t-shirts against their faces, it should cheer them to know that the current version of their ballclub is greatly improved from last year's disastrous campaign.
In 2022, the Red Sox won twice. This summer they have won four times as many games. Baby steps, remember that.
Baby steps, even though yesterday was not a day to remember. The Toronto Maple Leafs destroyed the Red Sox 17-2 at Christie Pits.
After a pair of scoreless innings pitched by Daniel Procopio and Jeremias Sucre, the Leafs revved their bats.
They scored six runs in the third inning. Jose Vinicio, Toronto's skinny shortstop with newfound home run power, opened the scoring by belting a three-run blast. Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo hit an RBI double. Left fielder Jesse Hodges drove in a run with a sac fly, and second baseman Dan Marra singled in another.
Early on in the game, both sides questioned some ball and strike calls by the home plate umpire. Things came to a head in the third when Brantford catcher Cris Ruiz got tossed for "dissent" to put it in genteel soccer terms. The Red Sox had to rearrange their infield as their second baseman took over behind the plate.
Sucre lasted into the fourth inning but got no further. An RBI single by first baseman Jordan Castaldo made it 7-0 Leafs.
Into the fifth, the Leafs juggernaut continued jugging. Dan Marra doubled in a run. A single by pinch hitter Grant Tamane brought home two more. A single by pinch hitter Robin Fox-Pappas scored another run. Solazzo capped off the inning by hitting a home run that literally left the planet Earth. As the entire ballpark watched the sphere disappear, Solazzo commenced his 14th home run trot of the season like it was no big deal. 14-0 Leafs through five innings.
It was a bullpen day for manager Rob Butler's Leafs, and he put the pen into action starting in the third. Marek Deska pitched three scoreless innings. Sebastian Khan took over in the top of the sixth. He went two innings and gave up a run.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Leafs scored three more runs. A wild pitch, a ground out by pinch hitter Yoichi Ishihara, and another single by Tamane made it 17-1 for the home side.
Evan Elliott pitched the final two innings. He gave up one run and struck out four. The final score was 17-2. Deska got the win in relief and the Leafs wrapped up the week with two wins and two losses, bringing them to the brink of clinching 4th place this season.
Brantford 2 5 3
Toronto 17 14 0
W - Deska (2-2, 4.73)
L - Sucre (1-6, 8.07)
c.jpg)
.JPG)
.JPG)
After Week 13 the Maple Leafs are 19-18 and close to securing a lock on 4th place in this IBL season. They are 9 games behind the Welland Jackfish, who clinched the 2023 pennant over the weekend.
One week remains in the regular season:
Tuesday, August 15 - Kitchener Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits
Thursday, August 17 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats, 7:35 pm at Vintage Throne Stadium
Saturday, August 19 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals, 7:30 pm at Hastings Stadium
Sunday, August 20 - Guelph Royals vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 2:00 pm at Christie Pits
Monday, August 21 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox, 8:00 pm at Arnold Anderson Stadium
No comments:
Post a Comment