Extra Effort Lifts Leafs

IBL Semifinals - Game 1 - September 2, 2023

Toronto Maple Leafs at Welland Jackfish

Toronto 4

Welland 3

(12 innings)

Toronto leads series 1-0

Looking as calm as an executioner with his axe, Jordan Castaldo's three walks, a single and three runs led the Leafs to a series-opening victory.

When Sam Greene went to the pitcher's mound in the bottom of the eleventh inning, every eye inside a tension-filled Welland Stadium was on him.

The first encounter of the 2023 semifinal series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Welland Jackfish was a tight, nervy affair.  Over ten innings, the two teams had scratched out a run here, a run there.  Neither side was able to break out and put distance between them and the other.

With the score tied 3-3, Greene entered the game tasked with holding the Jackfish at bay.

Toronto starter Wilgenis Alvarado had kept the home side off the scoreboard through seven innings.  The Leafs spotted him a two run lead, thanks to first baseman Jordan Castaldo and his awe-inspiring plate discipline.

In the third inning, Castaldo calmly drew a bases-loaded walk off Welland starter Jake Harford to bring in a run.

In the eighth inning, Castaldo stared down Harford again, and again drew a walk.  Welland pitching did the rest to gift the Leafs another run.  Rattled perhaps by Castaldo's executioner-like serenity, Harford hit DH Garrett Takamatsu with a pitch.  Reliever Mike Mueller then walked two batters in a row and Castaldo scored.

The Jackfish broke through to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth.  With one out, Alvarado walked Hogan Brown, and Brown then stole second.  The next man up, Ethan Hunt, hit a liner straight back to Alvarado, who scrambled for the ball and threw it wide of first base.  Brown came around to score and Hunt ended up on third base.  Reliever Chris Nagorski recorded a second out before hitting a batter.  Enter the Undertaker, Dustin Richardson for the Leafs.  The sombre giant went to the mound and hit another batter.  Both of these HBP's were mere grazings but the Jackfish certainly didn't complain.  With the bases loaded, Richardson reared back and... hit another batter.  Hunt trotted home, the game was tied 2-2, and this nervy affair became nervier.

Neither side could score in the ninth, so it went to extras.

Looking to put this game out of its misery, Castaldo led off at the plate and shocked absolutely no one by drawing a walk off reliever Deivy Mendez.  Castaldo advanced to third on a single and a fielder's choice, then trotted home on a sacrifice fly by left fielder Jesse Hodges.  That made it 3-2 Leafs halfway through the tenth.

With Richardson still on the mound, Carlos Martinez opened the bottom of the tenth with a single.  Martinez was subbed out for pinch runner Brandon Underhill.  Richardson struck out the next batter, then gave up another single.  It looked like the game might be over as a grounder by James Smibert was hit to shortstop Jose Vinicio.  Instead of starting a sure double play, Vinicio misplayed the ball.  Underhill raced home, the game was tied 3-3, and it was on to the eleventh.

A long flyball by catcher Justin Marra stayed in the park in the top of the inning.  The Leafs were unable to do anything else, and so the spotlight turned to Sam Greene.  After a game filled with lucky breaks, miscues and acts of sheer will, Greene would have to keep it going for at least another inning if the Leafs were to win, and he did it.  He got the Jackfish to fly out twice and ground out.

Top of the twelfth inning.  With a noisy crowd still mostly in their seats, Rich Corrente went to the mound for Welland.  As luck would have it, Castaldo led off with a spicy single.  A single by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo moved Castaldo to second.  With two outs, second baseman Dan Marra stroked a ball to short that was misplayed.  Marra was safe at first and Castaldo came around to score.  The Leafs went ahead 4-3 and they had another shot to grab the win.

Seated by the Leafs' dugout, I watched Greene stomp back to the mound with Purpose, determined to end this thing.  Here!  Now!  Taking ball in hand, he rippled with so much intensity that my own hands began to shake.

On three pitches, Greene struck out the first batter.  A groundout to short made for a quick second out.  Greene walked the next man up and tension spiked throughout the still-filled ballpark.  Smibert returned to the plate and battled to keep the game alive.  Greene worked a 2-1 count and Smibert fouled off three pitches in a row, then swung and missed for the third out.

Greene and Marra barked and pumped fists as their teammates ran to join them at the mound for high fives.  The Leafs' effort in extras earned them a 4-3 win in Game 1.  Greene took the well-deserved win, Corrente got the tough-luck the loss, and the Leafs drew first blood in the series.

Toronto 4 9 2

Welland 3 8 1

(12 innings)

W - Greene (1-0, 0.00)

L - Corrente (0-1, 0.00)

BOXSCORE

Game 2 of this semifinal series takes place this afternoon at venerable Christie Pits.  First pitch will be delivered at 2:00 pm.

Postseason Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Welland Jackfish - 2023 Semifinal Series

To be the best, you've got to beat the best.

That's the task that stands before the Toronto Maple Leafs in their semifinal series against the Welland Jackfish.

The Jackfish were the IBL's top regular season team in 2023.  Their 31-11 record placed them 9 1/2 games ahead of the Leafs.

On top of that, the Jackfish swept the season series, beating the Leafs six times this summer.

It's a considerable task ahead.  The Leafs have momentum coming out of their quarterfinal clinching win.  Let's take a closer look at the numbers between these two clubs.

AT THE PLATE

Gregory Carrington 

This semifinal could be a series of slugfests.

The Leafs and Jackfish are two high-scoring clubs, and each one has its own style for churning out the runs.  

If the Leafs aren't hitting bombs, they are drawing walks.  This reflects the approaches of highly disciplined batters like Jordan Castaldo, Justin Marra and Johnathan Solazzo, who racked up the walks when they weren't doing home run trots.

Meanwhile, the Jackfish are like a production line, crafting run-scoring rallies from a steady stream of hits and stolen bases.

KEY STAT: The Leafs led the IBL in On-Base Percentage.  You can't score runs unless you put men on base, and the Leafs were best in the league at doing so.

ON THE MOUND

Wilgenis Alvarado

This semifinal could be a series of pitchers' duels.

Game 1 starter Wilgenis Alvarado led the league in ERA this season. 

Meanwhile, the Jackfish led the league in team ERA this season.  They hold the edge over the Leafs in all of the key categories charted below.

The Jackfish's season sweep came about through some late-inning collapses by Leafs pitching.  The Leafs enter the postseason with a tighter, more organized bullpen.  In four games of the quarterfinals, late-inning pitching has been solid.  

So far, Leafs pitchers have shaved over three runs off their regular season ERA total, so that bodes well.

KEY STAT: eight.  That's the number of scoreless innings that Wilgenis Alvarado pitched in July, during his most recent start at Welland Stadium.

THE HISTORY

The Leafs vanquished Welland in the semifinals a year ago.

This semifinal series is a rematch from last year.

In 2022, the Leafs squished the Fish, beating them 3-1.  The core of last year's Leafs team is virtually unchanged.  They've done it before, can they do it again?

It starts tonight, 6:05 pm at Welland Stadium, and Game 2 will be Sunday at Christie Pits.  We will find out very soon if history will repeat itself.  Let's go boys!

SEMIFINAL SERIES SCHEDULE (best 3 out of 5)

Game 1

Saturday, September 2 - Toronto at Welland - 6:05 pm

Toronto starter: Wilgenis Alvarado

Game 2

Sunday, September 3 - Welland at Toronto - 2:00 pm

Toronto starter: Daniel Procopio

Game 3 

Monday, September 4 - Toronto at Welland - 4:05 pm 

Toronto starter: TBA

Game 4 (if necessary)

Wednesday, September 6 - Welland at Toronto - 7:30 pm

Toronto starter: TBA

Game 5 (if necessary) 

Thursday, September 7 - Toronto at Welland - 7:35 pm 

Toronto starter: TBA

Mapes Move On

IBL Quarterfinals - Game 4 - August 29-30, 2023

Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals

Toronto 10

Guelph 4

Toronto wins the series 3-1

Dan Marra was one of seven Leafs to cross home plate during the second inning of Game 4, a rally that decided the game and the series.

It took four games spread across five days for the Toronto Maple Leafs to defeat the Guelph Royals and advance to the next round of the 2023 IBL postseason.

Last night at Hastings Stadium, the marvelous Mapes completed a 10-4 victory and took a 3-1 quarterfinal series win over the Royals.

Game 4 began on Tuesday night and the Leafs built up an 8-4 lead before the game was suspended by rain.

Wilgenis Alvarado started on the mound against Claudio Custodio, a talismanic figure in the Royals organization.  

After spending most of the season toiling near the bottom of the standings, the Royals came to life when the 2022 MVP rejoined the club in late July.  "The season starts now!" was the vibe at Hastings, as the club climbed up to fifth place and a quarterfinals date with the Leafs.

Unfortunately for the Royals, they asked too much of Custodio.  Having pitched five innings just 48 hours before, the Dominican import was tapped to start the game.  He played an epic first inning, retiring the Leafs 1-2-3 before going to bat as DH.  A shaky start by Alvarado saw him hit a batter and walk another.  Custodio then drove them both in with a single and the Royals went ahead 2-0 after the first inning.

In the top of the second, Custodio ran out of gas and the Royals season unraveled.

DH Garrett Takamatsu was hit by a pitch to start the inning.  Second baseman Dan Marra walked.  Left fielder Jesse Hodges hit a single to score Takamatsu.  Custodio then walked right fielder Ryan Santos to load the bases.  With two outs, he walked shortstop Jose Vinicio to bring home a run, then walked catcher Justin Marra to put the Leafs ahead.  That ended Custodio's night on the mound.  Yuki Narita relieved him and the Leafs blew the game open.  First baseman Jordan Castaldo hit a two-run single and Takamatsu followed with a two-run double.  The Leafs roared out to a 7-2 lead through two innings.

In the bottom of the third, Custodio made his presence felt again.  He singled in his third run of the night to make it 7-3.

Top of the fourth, Jared Kennedy took over on the mound for Guelph.  A sac fly by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo made it an 8-3 game.

Bottom of the fourth, the Royals' Chris Robinson hit a solo home run through the drizzle and made it 8-4.

Then, the drizzle became a steady rain.  Earlier in the game, a 30-second rain delay briefly halted proceedings.  Both clubs slogged through a soggy fifth inning before the game was suspended.

Play resumed the following night.  The final four innings were a formality. Guelph was unable to do any damage to relievers Julian Valdez, Adam Marra and Marek Deska.  They combined to pitch four scoreless.

The Leafs added a couple of late runs and wrapped up a 10-4 win.  Throughout the series they benefitted from a lot of runs gifted them by Guelph, but a high-scoring performance in Game 4 provided a nice exclamation point and momentum for the next series.

Toronto 10 7 0

Guelph 4 7 0

W - Alvarado (1-1, 5.40)

L - Custodio (1-1, 5.06)

BOXSCORE

Up next... we don't know yet.  The Leafs join the Welland Jackfish and Barrie Baycats in advancing to the semifinals.  The fourth club will be either the Kitchener Panthers or London Majors, and their series wraps up tonight.  The semifinals schedule will be released shortly after.