Royals Walk-Off Maple Leafs in Chaotic Game
GUELPH -- There's always tomorrow.
The Guelph Royals walked off the Toronto Maple Leafs 13-12 on Saturday evening to improve to 13-7 on the season.
With the loss, the Maple Leafs go to 11-9.
Guelph starter Nelson Mercado took a no-decision after only pitching three innings.
The righty allowed four earned runs on two hits and seven walks while striking out two Maple Leafs batters.
Royals reliever Brandon Deans picked up the "reverse win" after blowing a Royals ninth-inning lead.
The Royals reliever allowed one earned run on three walks.
Royals right fielder JD Williams led the way at the plate, going two-for-three with two walks and three runs batted in.
Toronto starter Angel Castro struggled for his second game of the row, taking a no-decision in five innings pitched.
The former Oakland Athletic allowed six earned runs on six hits and six walks while striking out five Royals.
Maple Leafs reliever Sam Greene took the loss, despite pitching well.
The Leafs hard-throwing righty allowed two earned runs on three hits.
In the eighth, he was the victim of the go-ahead reaching base on a dropped third strike before the winning run scored from third base after going from first to third on an error by Leafs third basemen Aidan McAskie.
TORONTO - 12-8-3
GUELPH - 13-14-2
BIGGEST PLAY OF THE GAME: With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, Ethan Hammond hit a base hit to score Dalton Pompey from third base to win the ball game.
BY THE NUMBERS...
3. The Leafs led the game at three different points, most notably when they led 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Many athletes say they'd rather get blown out than lose a heartbreaker. That will apply to this loss.
4. A four-walk game for McAskie, to go along with a hit.
6. The Royals scored at least one run in six straight innings, starting in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Leafs, meanwhile, did all their damage in three different innings.
7. The Royals extend their winning streak to seven games with the win.
15. For the first time in his 15-year IBL career, Maple Leafs first basemen Jordan Castaldo was ejected from the ball game in the bottom of the sixth inning after yelling -- 100 feet away -- that he thought Royals third basemen Malik Collymore was out at third base on what ended up being a triple.
19. All 19 batters in Saturday's game reached base at least once.
23. 23 combined walks between the Leafs and Royals on the evening. That, if you are scoring at home, is a lot. The Leafs walked eight batters, and the Royals walked 15.
3:43: The game took three hours and 43 minutes to complete, which is what you'd expect from a game that saw 23 combined walks.
LOOKING AHEAD...
The Leafs and Royals are back at it on Sunday afternoon from Dominico Field at Christie Pits.
Photo: Craig Aikin