Majors Drop High-Scoring Road Battle to Maple Leafs
Written by: Evan Frederiksen / Photo by Brandon Taylor
If you’re a baseball fan who loves offensive action and back-and-forth games, this matchup between the London Majors and Toronto Maple Leafs has your name written all over it. Despite launching five home runs, the Majors came up short in a high-scoring affair, falling 11-8 to Toronto Sunday afternoon at Christie Pits Dominion Field.
Yadian Martinez made his sixth start of the season for the Maple Leafs, as the native of Cuba worked five and a third innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits while striking out four. The Majors' offence started off on the right foot, as Maikol Escotto, who entered the contest 7 for his last 21, hit a leadoff home run to give the Majors an early 1-0 lead.
The Maple Leafs responded right back, though, with a home run of their own as Yasiel Puig hit a two-run shot to center field, giving the Maple Leafs the lead right back. Cesilio Pimental got the nod for the Majors, and the 33-year-old battled through constant traffic on the bases throughout his four-inning outing. The Maple Leafs would then add two more runs in the bottom of the third, as Yasiel Puig hit another home run, this one a solo shot, followed by an RBI hit-by-pitch by Yordan Manduley to extend the Maple Leafs' lead to 4-1.
The Majors answered right back in the top of the fourth as Starling Joseph launched a solo home run. David Draayers followed with his second homer of the season, a line drive to right field that pulled London within 4-3. Trent Lenihan capped off the inning with a two-run missile to left field, giving the Majors a 5-4 lead while tying the CBL lead with his eighth home run of the season.
Toronto fought back in the bottom of the fifth, as Dennis Dei Baning stole home on a hit-and-run play. Matt Brandt then followed with an RBI single to left field, putting the Maple Leafs back in front 6-5 after five innings.
The Toronto pitching staff, which entered the game with a team ERA of 8.69, continued to struggle to hold the lead as the Majors capitalized once again. Adam Thuss launched a two-run homer to deep center field to put London back in front 7-6 before Cristian Inoa added to the advantage with an RBI single in the top of the seventh.
Yordan Manduley and Crixtian Taveras, who combined for five hits for the Maple Leafs, each hit solo home runs against Miguel Cirino in the bottom of the seventh to recapture the lead for Toronto 9-8.
The Majors were unable to mount a rally in the top of the eighth as Luis Florentino shut the door. The Maple Leafs then added two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to extend their lead to 11-8. Luis Florentino would then pick up the save for the Maple Leafs as they captured their fifth win of the season.
The Majors were 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position and displayed a ton of power but just couldn’t hold off the Maple Leaf offence in the late innings.
Despite the loss, London now sits at 16-8 on the season and 6-6 on the road while maintaining a half-game lead atop the CBL standings. The Majors will look to bounce back on Tuesday, July 7, when they travel to Chatham-Kent to take on the Barnstormers. The first pitch from Fergie Jenkins Field is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.