A Perfectly Good Night, Ruined

Game 12: Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors, June 8, 2018

Majors win 11-8

A hot, sunny Friday afternoon gave way to a warm, windless evening. Lots of parking and plenty of good seats at the ballpark, with two hot teams ready to go at it. It was a perfect night for baseball at Labatt Memorial Park.

The only sour note was the Toronto Maple Leafs being handed an "L" by the London Majors. It was a perfectly good night, ruined.

The Leafs continued their hard-hitting ways as established in the first month of the season. They racked up nine hits against the Majors, and five of them were doubles -- three by Garrett Takamatsu and two by the team's OBP monster Grant Tamane. The team put eight runs on the board, but ended up getting outscored 11-8 by the home side.

The Majors jumped on Marek Deska for six runs off eight hits, and ended his night after four innings. It was Deska's first loss of the season.

Both clubs opened the first inning with a run. Catcher Justin Marra notched his league-leading 18th RBI, while Byron Reichstein hit a solo home run, his first of two on the night. 1-1 through one.

Toronto grabbed a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth, courtesy of a two-run single by manager Damon Topolie, who was also playing right field.

London seized control of the game in the bottom of the fourth. They hit a stream of flares that turned into a flood. Six hits on the inning and five runs across the plate to take a 6-3 lead.

Jackson Jones relieved Deska in the bottom of the fifth and the Majors tagged him for two more runs for an 8-3 lead.

Takamatsu and Topolie each drove in a run in the top of the sixth to make it an 8-5 ballgame.

London got those two runs right back in the bottom of the sixth, and Jones was relieved by Adam Marra. It was 10-5 London through six.

London added another run in the eighth to make it 11-5.

Throughout the season, the Leafs have shown a no-quit attitude. Instead of hitting the highway, they battled back in the ninth. Takamatsu led off with his third double of the night, then moved to third on a wild pitch. After a couple of strikeouts, DH Mike Cecchetto drew a walk. Centerfielder Connor Lewis followed with an RBI single to score Takamatsu. Tamane then hit his second double of the game to drive in Cecchetto and Lewis. That would be all, however, as the Majors escaped with an 11-8 victory.


Toronto 8-9-1
London 11-15-0

W - Peralta (2-0, 2.76)
L - Deska (1-1, 6.06)


BOXSCORE


At 8-4, the Leafs sit in third place in the IBL standings. They return to Christie Pits this afternoon for a matchup against the Burlington Herd.

Solazzo Goes Downtown, Then Down

Game 11: Barrie Baycats at Toronto Maple Leafs, June 6, 2018

Leafs win 13-9

It was a boom and bust night for Johnathan Solazzo at Christie Pits.

Boom and bruise, to be more accurate.

After his first four trips to the plate on Wednesday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs' third baseman (above) was a triple short of the cycle. He hit an RBI single in the first, a double in the third and a grand slam in the fifth. Those five RBIs raised his total to 16 on the season.

In the seventh, Solazzo was hit by a pitch just above the knee. He fell to the dirt and stayed down for a couple of minutes. Helped to his feet, he limped to the bench, out of the game. The good news was no injury occurred apart from a stinger that is sure to leave a nasty bruise.

By that point in the game, the Mapes enjoyed a 13-9 lead over the Barrie Baycats. The game was in the hands of the bullpens, and R.J. Page, Nick DaSilva, and Andrew Simonetti combined to nail down the win for starter Pedro De Los Santos.

Both clubs had come out swinging early. 

In the top of the first inning, Kevin Atkinson hit a two-run homer to give the visitors an early lead.

The Leafs immediately responded, tagging Barrie starter Brett Lawson for four runs off five hits and an error.

Toronto's 4-2 lead lasted until the top of the third. Jordan Castaldo singled in a run, and Brandon Dhue blasted a grand slam to give the 'Cats a 7-4 lead.

Centerfielder Marcus Knecht led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run -- his first of the season -- to make it a 7-5 game.

The Leafs tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a one-run ballgame.

De Los Santos did not have the best of starts. He departed after the fifth inning, having walked in one more run to give Barrie an 8-6 lead. His final line showed four hits, three earned runs, two strikeouts and a gaudy eight walks.

But the Dominican would have the last laugh. His teammates exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the inning to gift him a win. Shortstop Adam Odd and catcher Justin Marra each hit RBI singles. Knecht then drew a bases-loaded walk to score one more and knock Lawson out of the game. Jaspreet Shergill relieved him and his first batter was Solazzo, who went downtown with a grand slam. The inning ended with the Leafs having taken a 13-8 lead.

Toronto's bullpen scattered two hits, two walks and one run over the final four innings to seal the 13-9 FINAL in front of a tenacious crowd on a chilly evening at the Pits. The weather could take a cue from Toronto's high-powered offence and start warming up, pronto.


Barrie 9-6-3
Toronto 13-13-5

W - De Los Santos (2-0, 3.50)
L - Lawson (0-1, 5.55)


BOXSCORE


The Leafs travel to Labatt Memorial Park this Friday night for a contest with the London Majors.