Toronto Maple Leafs overcame multiple deficits to defeat the Brantford Red Sox 8-7 in Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) action on Friday, August 9, 2024.
Toronto came out flying to start the game, opening the top of the first with a walk and consecutive singles to load the bases just three batters in. The Maple Leafs opened the scoring after a sacrifice fly but that’s all they would get after Red Sox SP Ricardo Alvarez DeLugo got a ground ball and strikeout to limit the damage. The Red Sox responded in their half of the inning, capitalizing on four walks, two stolen bases and a hit batter as they took a 2-1 lead after one inning of play.
Toronto’s bats kept rolling into the second inning as Maple Leafs C Lachlan Maude ripped a triple to centre field, which was followed up by an RBi single by 3B Charlie Towers who was caught trying to advance to second base. DeLugo, once again, managed to get out of the inning after only allowing one earned run but the Leafs tied things at two.
Brantford continued to be handed opportunities to take the lead as they started the second inning with a walk, another hit batter and an infield single by SS Gus Wilson to load the bases. Brantford regained the lead after an RBI single from LF Marcos Castillo but couldn’t plate any more runs as they recorded three consecutive pop outs to end the inning.
Both starting pitchers settled in after the rocky first two innings, only allowing one hit over the next inning and a half. Brantford increased their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning after a leadoff double by RF Matt Fabian who was driven home by a Wilson RBI single as the home team took a 4-2 lead through four innings.
The teams settled in through the fifth and sixth innings, only combining for two hits over that stretch then the Maple Leafs took over in the top of the seventh inning. With DeLugo pulled for Red Sox RP Damian Clarke, Toronto touched up the reliever for three earned runs on three hits to take a 5-4 lead. The Red Sox couldn’t capitalize on a Kieran Bowles double in the bottom half of the inning as the visitors held on to their one-run lead.
Toronto continued to take advantage of the Red Sox bullpen, scoring three more runs off of RP Aidan Armitage as they opened up an 8-4 lead through seven and a half innings.
The Red Sox made it close, scoring a single run in the bottom of the eighth and tacking on two more runs in the bottom of the ninth but it wasn’t enough as the Leafs held on for the 8-7 victory. With the loss, the Red Sox dropped to 10-27 on the season.
