TORONTO'S BATS SHINE IN 13-4 VICTORY AGAINST KITCHENER

Written by: Olivia Byrne

KITCHENER, Ont. — If there was one word to describe tonight’s game against the Kitchener Panthers, it would be “bounce-back.” Throughout all nine innings, the Maple Leafs ran like a well-oiled machine, dominating the Kitchener Panthers in a 13-4 victory. 

Tonight, everything seemed to be in Toronto’s favour—the offence, the defence, the hitting and the pitching. Players were taking great at-bats at the plate and making even greater plays in the field. 

Eager to rebound from a shutout loss, Toronto got the ball rolling almost straight away. The bats were hot all night, but it all started in the top of the 1st, when Dennis Dei Baning brought home JJ Dutton on a bloop single to center field. 

The Leafs really made their presence known in the 2nd, when Yordan Manduley homered off the second pitch he saw from Kitchener to double Toronto’s lead. After some smart at-bats from Matt Brandt and Dutton, Brando Leroux was hit by a pitch to load the bases. 

Up to the plate stepped Yasiel Puig, who jumped almost immediately at the opportunity to drive in a run or two. After two pitches, Puig would drive the ball hard into center field, sending Brandt and Leroux in to double Toronto’s lead once again, to 4-0.

Dei Baning, who already had 1 RBI tonight, continued the party as he drove a ball down the left field line, sending Puig home and in to tack on another run. 

These early runs would prove to be crucial for Toronto, as the Panthers were giving them some trouble in the bottom of the 2nd. A triple, followed by a single almost immediately after, gave Kitchener their first run of the night. Keeping the momentum going, the Panthers scored another run off a long single to cut Toronto’s lead to 5-2. However, the Maple Leafs weren’t going down without a fight. 

After singles from Matthew Fabian and Manduley put a runner in scoring position during the 3rd, Spenser Ross brought home Fabian with a sacrifice fly, giving Toronto an edge back. 

A solo shot from Marcus Knecht in the 4th, combined with a run scored by Dutton and a single from Puig, extended the lead to 9-2, making up any ground the Maple Leafs had lost during the 2nd inning and then some. 

With the bases loaded once again in the 6th, Leroux stepped up to the plate. After taking three pitches, he saw one he liked and jumped on it, bringing home three runs and increasing Toronto’s lead by 10.

A 12-2 score meant that the Maple Leafs could breathe much easier. Not only were the bats hot, but the arms were as well. Nick Veselinovic got the start for Toronto, pitching 6.0 innings, striking out 5 with 4 earned runs. 

Once Veselinovic’s day was done, things got a little rocky. Benjamin Sitarenios took over, pitching just one inning and giving up a two-run shot to make it 12-4.

As the Panthers crept closer, Graham Sim came into the game to lock things down.

In the top of the 9th, Puig brought Leroux home on a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 13-4, which would ultimately be the final result. 

After tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs are no longer at the bottom of the barrel. They now sit at 3-7 on the season. 

UP NEXT: The Maple Leafs head home to take on the Brantford Red Sox. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.