On the Christie Hillside

Monday, August 16, 2021

Proven Roadworthy

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - August 9 to 15, 2021

A doubleheader demolition job in Kitchener was the highlight of a wild Week 6 for the Toronto Maple Leafs

After blowing out the Kitchener Panthers twice on Saturday, the Leafs were stuck for answers yesterday at Christie Pits.

As the 2021 IBL season hit the midpoint last week, one very noticeable statistic stood out on the Toronto Maple Leafs' ledger.

Midway through August, they still had not won a game on the road.

The Leafs played on the road in Barrie last Thursday night, and lost again. They then travelled to Brantford on Friday night. There, they not only lost again, but ended up leaving Telephone City with fewer players than they went in with; more on that below.

The pressure of an 0-7 road record was too much to contain, and it produced an explosion on Saturday. In Kitchener for a doubleheader, the Leafs let out all their frustrations and blew out the Panthers in both games, racking up a combined score of 35-9.

The relief was felt throughout Christie Pits on Sunday. Relieved but also feeling the effects of playing five games in four days, the Leafs fell behind to the visiting Welland Jackfish and were unable to mount a Christie comeback. They suffered a rare home loss, rounding out the week with two wins and three losses.

The Leafs' season record now stands at 9-9 and they have slipped down the IBL standings. The good news is that players like Zach Sloan and Ryan Santos have returned to action, bolstering the roster at just the right time.

As a sprint to the finish of this short season begins, here's a quick look back at the week that was.

Thursday, August 12, 2021 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats

The Leafs took a lead against Barrie three times, but failed to hold on.
Image from Barrie Baycats YouTube

This one looked promising for a while. Several whiles.

Visiting the torture chamber known as Coates Stadium in Barrie, the Maple Leafs looked like they might break out. They grabbed leads of 2-0, 4-2, and 6-4, but each time the Baycats scratched back into it.

Third baseman Garrett Takamatsu enjoys his visits to the great white north. He put the Leafs ahead 2-0 in the first inning when he hit his second home run at Coates this summer. The Baycats tied the score in the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the 3rd, DH Sean Reilly and right fielder Marcus Knecht each drove in a run to give the Leafs a 4-2 lead. The Baycats tied the score in the bottom of the 4th.

In the top of the 5th, Takamatsu ripped an RBI double, then came around to score on a single by second baseman Dan Marra. For the third time, Toronto was ahead and the score was 6-4.

For the third time, the Baycats came back to tie the game, then went ahead for good.

Andrew Hyde started on the mound for the Leafs and he left after five innings clinging to a 6-5 lead. The bullpen could not hold on. The 'Cats scratched up Adam Marra and Kyle Perrett for a combined seven runs and ran away with a 12-6 final score.

Toronto 6 10 4

Barrie 12 13 1

W - Grieveson (3-2, 3.44)

L - A. Marra (0-1, 5.06)

BOXSCORE

Friday, August 13, 2021 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Brantford Red Sox

"Eventful," was how the Brantford Red Sox Twitter account described it.

It being the seventh inning at Arnold Anderson Stadium on Friday night. An incident at home plate caused the benches to clear, and after everybody hugged it out and exchanged Instagram handles, play resumed. The Leafs found themselves having to replace DH Sean Reilly, who left the game.

It was a close one throughout.

Jacob English started on the mound for the Red Sox and held the Leafs scoreless until the top of the 5th. With two outs, he proceeded to walk two batters and hit the next one to load the bases. Left fielder Garrett Takamatsu then drew a walk to put a run on the board for the visitors.

Starter Marek Deska motored through the first half of the game before giving up two runs in the bottom of the 5th.

The Red Sox tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the 6th to take a 4-1 lead.

Mackenzie Major relieved English to start the top of the 7th. With one out, Major gave up a single to Reilly and then hit Takamatsu with a pitch. Whatever unfolded next was so distressing to the scorekeeper that they recorded four outs in the inning on Pointstreak. The Red Sox have yet to post the game on YouTube, so there's no footage to see. Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo apparently hit into a fielder's choice and right fielder Marcus Knecht apparently hit into a double play for the fourth out. Somewhere along the way Reilly ran for home and there was an incident that those who were not there have to imagine without the help of video.

Lots of substitutions followed. In the top of the 8th, the fired up Leafs put three runs on the board to tie the game.

In the bottom of the 9th, the Red Sox took advantage of a single, stolen base, wild pitch, and a walkoff single to win the game 5-4.

Following the game, the league announced that Reilly would be suspended for three games.

Toronto 4 8 2

Brantford 5 10 0

W - Pineda (1-0, 0.00)

L - Asta (0-2, 12.46)

BOXSCORE

Saturday, August 14, 2021 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Kitchener Panthers - Doubleheader

A Maple Leaf baserunner crosses home plate, something the crowd at Jack Couch Park watched happen 35 times on Saturday.
Image from Kitchener Panthers YouTube

The frustration of losing every game on the road boiled over on Saturday and the Leafs let it all out.

In game one of a doubleheader at Kitchener, the Leafs exploded for nine runs in the third inning and never looked back. They kicked three Panthers pitchers around for 14 hits and 20 runs in the seven inning game.

With all the cannonfire going on around him, Leafs starter Matthias Trondson quietly put together a seven-inning gem. He went the distance in game one, surrendering just two runs on three hits and two walks.

The nightcap saw the Leafs reload and resume the heavy barrage. They racked up 11 runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 15-7 win. Brandon Lyons pitched five innings for the Leafs, giving up four earned runs and Evan DiMichele wrapped up the game.

The Leafs' bats were off the chain. The combined stats from this doubleheader is a sight to behold. They bashed out 31 hits and 35 runs. Among the team leaders on the day, check out DH Damon Topolie leading the charge.

Hits

6 - Damon Topolie

5 - Ryan Santos

4 - Justin Marra, Ryan Johnston

3 - Jordan Castaldo, Garrett Takamatsu

2 - Johnathan Solazzo, Marcus Knecht, Jeff MacLeod

Runs

5 - Damon Topolie

4 - Jordan Castaldo, Garrett Takamatsu, Johnathan Solazzo, Jeff MacLeod, Ryan Johnston, Ryan Santos

3 - Justin Marra, Marcus Knecht

RBIs

6 - Damon Topolie

5 - Justin Marra, Ryan Santos

4 - Johnathan Solazzo

3 - Jordan Castaldo

2 - Garrett Takamatsu, Marcus Knecht

1 - Ryan Johnston

Home Runs

2 - Damon Topolie, Justin Marra, Johnathan Solazzo

1 - Garrett Takamatsu, Marcus Knecht

GAME 1

Toronto 20 14 0

Kitchener 2 3 3

W - Trondson (1-1, 4.29)

L - Millar (0-1, 27.00)

BOXSCORE

GAME 2

Toronto 15 17 3

Kitchener 7 7 1

W - Lyons (1-1, 7.00)

L - Stoddart (2-1, 8.23)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, August 15 - Welland Jackfish at Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs scored plenty of runs on Sunday, but gave up one too many in a rare home loss.

After whaling on the Panthers on Saturday, the Leafs got harpooned by the Jackfish on Sunday, and I just wrote the worst sentence of my life.

It was that kind of day. Nobody on top form, the effects of a beating hot sun and nonstop baseball four days in a row being felt.

Zach Sloan took to the mound at Christie Pits and pitched the first two innings. He gave up two runs to the visitors and handed the ball to Adam Marra, who pitched the next four.

In the meantime, the Leafs played a game of catch up all afternoon. Down 3-0 in the 5th, they got back a run as catcher Justin Marra scored on a fielding error. No sooner were they on the board than they coughed up three more runs in the top of the 6th.

But as the Bushmen in their leafy perch reminded everyone, no lead is safe. The Leafs cranked out a big inning in the bottom of the 6th. Center fielder Ryan Santos singled to drive in left fielder Jeff MacLeod. Later in the inning, Marra hit a bases-loaded double to drive in three runs. Second baseman Garrett Takamatsu followed with a single that scored Marra. After batting around, the Leafs had put five runs on the board and the game was tied 6-6 through six.

Those Wellanders were pesky all day. In the top of the 7th, they jumped on reliever Kyle Perrett for three runs to make it a 9-6 game.

The Leafs refused to die, and battled back in the bottom of the 8th. Right fielder Marcus Knecht singled in a run, and a sacrifice fly by DH Damon Topolie brought the V-necks to within a run.

The Leafs battled to the final out, loading the bases in the bottom of the 9th, but Zachary Cameron slammed the door shut and preserved a 9-8 win for Welland.

Welland 9 10 5

Toronto 8 13 1

W - Jackman (3-2, 3.08)

L - Perrett (2-1, 13.17)

S - Cameron (2)

BOXSCORE

Halfway through the 2021 season, the Leafs are 9-9 and have slipped to fifth place in the standings, 3.5 games behind the league leading London Majors.

The week ahead:

Tuesday August 17 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals, 7:35 pm at Bernie Arbour Stadium

Wednesday August 18 - Barrie Baycats at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Friday August 20 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Hamilton Cardinals, 7:35 pm at Bernie Arbour Stadium

Sunday August 22 - Brantford Red Sox at Toronto Maple Leafs, 2:00 pm at Christie Pits

Monday, August 9, 2021

Ain't Life Grand?

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - August 2 to 8, 2021

The Toronto Maple Leafs continued to thrill Christie Pits crowds with big blasts and comeback wins in Week 5 of the IBL season

TAK SLAM: Garrett Takamatsu is greeted by his teammates after hitting a grand slam on Sunday afternoon.

As the summer of 2021 rolled into August, fans have continued flocking to Christie Pits in droves, eager to embrace the familiarity and the normality provided by baseball. Their devotion to the Toronto Maple Leafs has been rewarded each time with familiar scenes for the reveling.

Big blasts, comebacks and wins.

The boys in the V-neck pullovers have been turning each game into an intra-squad home run derby. As of Sunday night, the Leafs have blasted 22 home runs on the season. In comparison, the Welland Jackfish have 12 and the London Majors have 11. All other clubs are in single digits.

Christie comebacks are real, and they're spectacular. Six out of the eight games the Leafs have played at home so far have resulted in comeback victories.

All said, the Leafs boast a 7-1 record at home.

On the road, it's a much, much different story. A gruesome tale.

Away from the Pits, the Leafs remain winless at 0-5. They are the only club not to win a game on the road this season. Gruesome I tell you.

It's like following two different clubs. Like one isn't enough. This week was a perfect example of the Jeckyl and Hyde thing that the Leafs have going this year. Two comeback wins at home punctuated by glorious grand slams, and a crummy loss on the road...

Wednesday, August 4, 2021 - Kitchener Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs

KNECHT FOUR: Marcus Knecht's grand slam in the 6th gave the Leafs a lead they would not relinquish.

For the second time in two weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Kitchener Panthers at home on a Wednesday night.

For the second week in a row, first baseman Jordan Castaldo hit a leadoff home run in the first inning.

And for the second week in a row, the Leafs came back to beat the Panthers. It's a comforting pattern we can all use these days.

Marek Deska took the mound as the sun began to set over Christie Pits, and he held the visitors hitless through the first three innings. His only slip was a two-run homer in the 4th that put the visitors ahead.

Kitchener starter Liam Devine settled down after Castaldo's first inning homer, which would be the only run he gave up through four.

Nighttime settled around the park and groovy music drifted over from a neighbouring field. Kyle Perrett took over for Deska in the 5th and put three goose eggs on the board. Perrett's shutdown performance would earn him his second win of the season.

Meanwhile, the Leafs mounted another comeback. In the bottom of the 6th, they racked up five runs from three hits and two walks. The inning was punctuated with an opportunity at wordplay that no writer could resist. Knecht Four! A grand slam off the bat of right fielder Marcus Knecht was part of a five-run inning. Up 6-2 through six, the Leafs would not relinquish the lead.

The Panthers made it a close one in their half of the ninth. They scratched out four runs off of Mateos Kekatos, who held on to finish the game and secure an 8-6 victory for Toronto.

Kitchener 6 7 1

Toronto 8 11 1

W - Perrett (2-0, 9.48)

L - Douglas (1-1, 6.00)

BOXSCORE

Thursday, August 5, 2021 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Kitchener Panthers

This game was rescheduled to Saturday, August 14. For reasons unknown.

Friday, August 6, 2021 - Toronto Maple Leafs at London Majors

The Leafs loaded the bases three times against London, but could not cash in enough runs to win.
Image from London Majors YouTube

Let's call this one a game of missed opportunities.

The Maple Leafs pounded out 12 hits on the road at Labatt Memorial Park, but ended up on the losing side of a 5-4 final against the London Majors.

The Mapes led the game very early on. In the top of the 1st, catcher Justin Marra doubled and was driven home on a single by DH Sean Reilly. The Majors tied the score in the bottom of the inning, then added two more runs in the 2nd for a 3-1 lead.

The Leafs loaded the bases in the 2nd but came away with no runs.

Marra led off the 5th with a solo home run. The Leafs then loaded the bases again but were unable to put any more runs on the board.

Leafs starter Brandon Lyons pitched four innings. He was relieved the rest of the way by Michael Asta, who gave up two runs in the bottom of the 6th to make it a 5-2 ballgame.

The Leafs loaded the bases again in the 8th inning. Reilly singled to drive in two runs and make it a one-run game. That was as close as it got. The Leafs went down in order in the 9th for their fifth road loss in five road games.

Toronto 4 12 3

London 5 7 0

W - Ferrington (1-0, 1.10)

L - Lyons (0-1, 6.75)

S - Lund (2)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, August 8, 2021 - Brantford Red Sox at Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs batting leader Sean Reilly raised his average to a searing .489 on Sunday, and he and teammate Garrett Takamatsu are currently tied for the league lead in RBIs with 18

Sunday at Christie Pits was overcast and muggy. There were occasional spits of rain, but it was the Maple Leafs who rained harder.

Almost out of politeness, Leafs starter Matthias Trondson gave up a courtesy run to the visiting Brantford Red Sox in the top of the first inning.

The devastation that followed put all courtesy to an end.

Crash! Bang! Wallop! The Leafs sent 11 men to the plate in the bottom of the 1st, and they put seven runs on the scoreboard. The exclamation point of the inning was a grand slam by third baseman Garrett Takamatsu. The home side staged another Christie comeback, and the game was literally over after one inning.

The Leafs added two more runs in the 2nd to make it 9-1.

They added three more in the 5th to make it 12-1.

Through it all, the Red Sox had been chirping at the home plate ump. They started early and spread the chirping around. Coaches, players, they all had an opinion to share with the ump. It was enough to earn a warning early in the game. As things spun out of control, the visitors kept chirping. Things boiled over in the 6th. After reliever Mack Major gave up his second walk of the inning, Red Sox player Jacob Reid chirped too loudly and got tossed. He took a few steps towards home plate and barked at the umpire.

"Look at the ball!" he yelled.

"Look at the scoreboard!" a Leafs fan yelled back.

Reid skulked away without another word.

Zingers aside, it was good to see Zach Sloan return to the mound in relief of Trondson. It was Sloan's first appearance since the season opener in July, and he pitched a scoreless inning. He was followed by Evan DiMichele, Jeff Liddell and Mateos Kekatos who closed out the win for Sloan.

At the plate, Takamatsu led the way with three hits and four RBIs. His grand slam was his fifth homer of the season, putting him atop the league standings in that category. DH Sean Reilly and shortstop Jordan Castaldo each had two hits and two RBIs. Justin Marra, Damon Topolie and Grant Tamane each drove in a run.

The rain held off and it was another home win for the hometown heroes. They are skipping their usual Wednesday nighter at home this week, and embarking on a three-city road trip starting on Thursday.

Brantford 4 13 2

Toronto 12 14 1

W - Sloan (1-1, 9.00)

L - Moore (0-2, 5.40)

BOXSCORE