Guelph Royals use late-inning comeback to nip Toronto
GUELPH – Wearing their special red jerseys, the Guelph Royals celebrated Canada Day with a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday afternoon at Hastings Stadium.
For the first time this season the Royals staged a late-inning comeback to edge the Leafs for their seventh win of the Intercounty Baseball League season and third in four games.
Guelph Royals 5 Toronto Maple Leafs 4
The Leafs shot ahead twice and the Royals came back both times to grab a one-run lead.
Toronto led 2-0 after 2½ innings before the locals scored three runs in the bottom of the third to go ahead. Single runs in the seventh and eighth innings put Toronto up 4-3, but the Royals struck for the deciding two runs in the bottom of the eighth for the win.
The Royals rolled fives as they had five runs off five hits and they committed five errors including three by starting pitcher Hector Yan on throws to first base.
Guelph’s third-inning runs came thanks to three passed balls by the Leafs. After walks to Brendan Keys and Brando Leroux and a single by Ethan Hammond loaded the bases with two out, when an error to catcher Justin Marra and then the three passed balls allowed the three Guelph base runners to score.
After the Leafs went ahead again with a single run in the top of the eighth, the Royals responded with the final two runs of the game in the bottom of the inning. Leroux singled, stole second base and scored on a single by Tristan Pompey who’d score the winning run with two out on a single by Noah Roberts.
The Royals made the most of the few base runners they had in the game as they hit five singles – one each by Leroux, Hammond, Pompey, Roberts and Corey Morro – and had three others reach base by walks and Justin Interisano was struck by a pitch. They left four on the bases.
The Leafs connected for 10 hits, had three walks, three hit by pitches and stranded 12.
Dan Marra hit three singles for the Leafs while Justin Marra hit a double and was twice hit by a pitch. Jordan Castaldo hit a double and a single while Garrett Takamatsu, Johnathan Solazzo, Jesse Hodges and Connor Lewis each hit one single.
Yan started and went six innings for the Royals. He allowed two runs, one earned, off three hits and three walks and he struck out six.
Yuki Narita picked up the win, his third, in relief despite giving up two earned runs off five hits in two innings. He didn’t walk anyone and had a strikeout.
Brandon Deans threw 27 pitches in the ninth inning to get his third save of the season. He yielded two hits and had two strikeouts.
Starter Wilson Alvarado went six innings for Toronto and surrendered three runs, one earned, off two hits and three walks. He had three strikeouts.
Marek Deska was tagged with the loss, his first of the season, as he gave up two earned runs off three hits in 1 2/3 innings. He had a strikeout.
Adam Marra pitched the other 1/3 of an inning.
The result leaves the Royals at 7-12 while the Leafs fall to 10-9.
The Royals are to play the Hamilton Cardinals (12-7) Sunday at Hamilton’s Bernie Arbour Stadium. They’re also to play the Barrie Baycats (12-5) at Barrie’s Vintage Throne Stadium Thursday at 7:35 p.m. before they’re to have a home-and-home series with the London Majors (5-11), next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Hastings Stadium and July 9 at 1:05 p.m. at London’s Labatt Park.
- Guelph Sports Journal
Guelph Royals use late-inning comeback to nip Toronto
GUELPH – Wearing their special red jerseys, the Guelph Royals celebrated Canada Day with a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday afternoon at Hastings Stadium.
For the first time this season the Royals staged a late-inning comeback to edge the Leafs for their seventh win of the Intercounty Baseball League season and third in four games.
Guelph Royals 5
Toronto Maple Leafs 4
The Leafs shot ahead twice and the Royals came back both times to grab a one-run lead.
Toronto led 2-0 after 2½ innings before the locals scored three runs in the bottom of the third to go ahead. Single runs in the seventh and eighth innings put Toronto up 4-3, but the Royals struck for the deciding two runs in the bottom of the eighth for the win.
The Royals rolled fives as they had five runs off five hits and they committed five errors including three by starting pitcher Hector Yan on throws to first base.
Guelph’s third-inning runs came thanks to three passed balls by the Leafs. After walks to Brendan Keys and Brando Leroux and a single by Ethan Hammond loaded the bases with two out, when an error to catcher Justin Marra and then the three passed balls allowed the three Guelph base runners to score.
After the Leafs went ahead again with a single run in the top of the eighth, the Royals responded with the final two runs of the game in the bottom of the inning. Leroux singled, stole second base and scored on a single by Tristan Pompey who’d score the winning run with two out on a single by Noah Roberts.
The Royals made the most of the few base runners they had in the game as they hit five singles – one each by Leroux, Hammond, Pompey, Roberts and Corey Morro – and had three others reach base by walks and Justin Interisano was struck by a pitch. They left four on the bases.
The Leafs connected for 10 hits, had three walks, three hit by pitches and stranded 12.
Dan Marra hit three singles for the Leafs while Justin Marra hit a double and was twice hit by a pitch. Jordan Castaldo hit a double and a single while Garrett Takamatsu, Johnathan Solazzo, Jesse Hodges and Connor Lewis each hit one single.
Yan started and went six innings for the Royals. He allowed two runs, one earned, off three hits and three walks and he struck out six.
Yuki Narita picked up the win, his third, in relief despite giving up two earned runs off five hits in two innings. He didn’t walk anyone and had a strikeout.
Brandon Deans threw 27 pitches in the ninth inning to get his third save of the season. He yielded two hits and had two strikeouts.
Starter Wilson Alvarado went six innings for Toronto and surrendered three runs, one earned, off two hits and three walks. He had three strikeouts.
Marek Deska was tagged with the loss, his first of the season, as he gave up two earned runs off three hits in 1 2/3 innings. He had a strikeout.
Adam Marra pitched the other 1/3 of an inning.
The result leaves the Royals at 7-12 while the Leafs fall to 10-9.
The Royals are to play the Hamilton Cardinals (12-7) Sunday at Hamilton’s Bernie Arbour Stadium. They’re also to play the Barrie Baycats (12-5) at Barrie’s Vintage Throne Stadium Thursday at 7:35 p.m. before they’re to have a home-and-home series with the London Majors (5-11), next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Hastings Stadium and July 9 at 1:05 p.m. at London’s Labatt Park.
- Guelph Sports Journal