It's Going the Distance

IBL Quarterfinals - Game 4 - August 26, 2025

Barrie Baycats at Toronto Maple Leafs

Barrie 6 - Toronto 3

Series tied 2-2

Marcus Knecht glides through the Christie Pits home-run-wall-of-smoke after hitting a two-run bomb last night.

Facing elimination from the 2025 IBL postseason, the Barrie Baycats had little choice but the nuclear option.

Frank Garces.

The 35-year-old former San Diego Padre has been the Baycats' weapon of choice on the mound many times going back to 2018.  Since his debut season, the Dominican's postseason record is 9-1 and he has two IBL championship rings on his fingers.

Last night at Christie Pits, Garces took the bump to try and lock down a season-saving win.  He was up against the Toronto Maple Leafs' Wilgenis Alvarado.  The 25-year-old Venezuelan owns a more modest 2-2 postseason record, but has shown up for the big games and this would be one of them.

The Leafs had a chance to oust the defending IBL champs before a home crowd that was rainsoaked but ferocious.

The starting pitchers traded a couple of scoreless innings before Barrie struck first.

In the top of the third, Alvarado gave up a single and walk, hit a batter to walk the bases, then hit another batter to bring in a run.

In the bottom of the fourth, the game was tied 1-1 after catcher Justin Marra hit his third home run of the series.

The Baycats reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth with three hits that brought in a pair of runs.  It was 3-1 for Barrie through five innings.

In the top of the sixth, the Baycats extended their lead to 5-1.  Alvarado was relieved by Marek Deska.  The longtime Leaf hurler got out of the inning, but with Garces still on the mound Leaf bats were in tough.

All night long, a kind of latent energy had been accumulating at the Pits.  This energy transformed into an explosion of noise and vibrations when right fielder Marcus Knecht took Garces deep in the bottom of the eighth.  Knecht's shot made it a 5-3 ballgame and put the Baycats' starter on his heels, but he escaped without further damage.

Deska ended up pitching 2.2 innings, giving up two hits and a run while striking out four.  Greg Carrington recorded the final two outs of the ninth inning for Toronto before Leaf bats had a final shot at victory.

It was not meant to be.  Carlos Sano, loser of Game 3, bounced back and pitched a scoreless ninth inning, surrendering just one walk before closing out the 6-3 FINAL for Barrie.  He earned the save for Garces' win while Alvarado took the loss.

Garces did what the Baycats needed him to do.  Apart from the homers by Justin Marra and Knecht, the only other Leaf batters to record a hit last night were left fielder Luca Boscarino and second baseman Dan Marra.  

Barrie 6 9 1

Toronto 3 4 1

W - Garces (1-0, 2.25)

L - Alvarado (0-1, 4.62)

S - Sano (1)

BOXSCORE

This back-and-forth quarterfinal series will be decided later tonight.  Game 5 goes at Athletic Kulture Stadium and first pitch is at 7:35 pm.