Guelph Royals get hot in loss to Toronto Maple Leafs
The Guelph Royals suffered a 6-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday at Hastings Stadium that saw three members of the Royals ejected from the Intercounty Baseball League game and a spectator ejected from the stadium.
The Leafs led 3-1 with two out in the top of the seventh when Royals’ field manager Dino Roumel became embroiled in a heated argument with home plate umpire Taka Matsuda. Guelph left fielder Josh Garton came in to try to get in between the pair, but he and Roumel were thrown out of the match. With Royals’ tempers flaring, the umpires called a halt to proceedings, tossing a spectator out of the facility as they neared their dressing room.
After a delay of about 20 minutes, the umpires returned to complete the game, but Matsuda ejected Guelph pitcher Brandon Deans. Deans argued a call after he felt he had tagged a runner out at the plate, but Matsuda ruled the runner safe.
That run was one of three scored by Toronto in the final innings after the Leafs had also scored a run in the first and two in the seventh.
The Royals scored their run in the fifth.
The locals received three singles from Evan Ashe, a double and a single from Brando Leroux and one single apiece from Jeff MacLeod and Arthur Kowara.
The Leafs had 10 hits in the game – a double and single from both Jordan Castaldo and Marcus Knecht, two singles from Dan Marra, a triple from Dionysius Chialtas and a single each from Justin Marra, Johnathan Solazzo and Jose Vinicio.
Jacob Kush started for the Royals, his third start of the season, all at Hastings Stadium. He yielded an earned run off three hits and four walks in six innings. He had eight strikeouts.
Rhys Montgomery, Deans and Jorge De la Cruz also saw time on the mound. Montgomery gave up two earned runs off five hits in two innings to take the loss while Deans surrendered three earned runs off two hits and two walks without registering an out. De la Cruz took over on the mound after the ejection of Deans and he kept Toronto scoreless and hitless in the remainder of the ninth. Montgomery had two strikeouts and De la Cruz had one.
Veteran Marek Deska pitched five innings for the Leafs while winner Max Lanoue and Julian Valdez, who collected a save, each pitched two innings. Deska gave up the earned run off five hits and a walk while Lanoue and Valdez each surrendered a hit and Lanoue walked a batter. Lanoue also had five strikeouts while Deska had one.
Barrie Baycats lead the league at 7-2 and are followed by the Royals at 5-2, Welland Jackfish at 7-3, London Majors and Hamilton Cardinals both at 6-3, Toronto at 4-7 and Brantford Red Sox, Chatham-Kent Barnstormers and Kitchener Panthers each at 2-7.
Next up for the Royals is a stretch of five games in six days as they’re to play the Red Sox at Brantford Friday at 8 p.m., host Welland Saturday at 1 p.m., play the Jackfish at Welland June 16 at 1:05 p.m., host Brantford June 18 at 7:30 p.m. and play the Leafs at Toronto June 19 at 7:30 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal