Woodbine Racetrack Game Report: Leafs Revenge Jackfish With Close Win
TORONTO - Print this off.
The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Welland Jackfish 5-2 on Sunday afternoon to improve to 20-13 on the season.
With the loss, the Jackfish fall to 23-9.
Toronto starter Sam Greene, who acted as an opener, pitched two scoreless innings for the Leafs before giving way for Dylan Jacober, who picked up the win.
The former Ottawa Titan allowed one earned run on six hits and one walk in five innings of work.
Maple Leafs reliever Franklin Hernandez picked up the six-out save.
Toronto catcher Justin Marra led the way at the plate, going three-for-four with a walk.
Welland starter Wyatt Hummel took a no-decision in three innings of work, allowing two earned runs on four hits and a staggering five walks in just three innings of work.
Jackfish reliever Casey Howard took the loss despite a brilliant relief outing.
The former Brantford Red Sox allowed one earned runs on five hits in three innings of work, which included him stranding the bases loaded with no one out in the bottom of the fourth inning.
WELLAND - 2-7-1
TORONTO - 5-12-2
BIGGEST PLAY OF THE GAME: Up 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jackfish shortstop James Smibert was unable to come up with what should have been the last out of the inning, allowing two runs to score for the Leafs, making it a 5-2 ball game.
DID YOU SEE THAT? In the top of the fourth inning, Jackfish designated hitter Matt Hilderbrandt looked to have hit his second opposite-field single of the game, only for Maple Leafs shortstop Jose Vinicio to rob him of a hit.
BY THE NUMBERS...
0. No extra-base hits for the Leafs, who did all their damage with base hits and walks.
1. Just one stolen base for the Jackfish, who only attempted two stolen bases off of Marra on Saturday.
13. In a game that could have easily been a blowout, the Leafs left 13 baserunners on base, compared to the Jackfish, who only left five on base.
86. The Leafs made Hummel throw 86 pitches in just three innings.
INSIDE THE LOCKERROOM...
Topolie on Greene's opening job: "He threw strikes and that is all you can ask for. I just wanted for him to get some work in and to get his feet back in it because he's had a couple of weeks off with an injury. He got us off on a good foot and we kept going from there."
Topolie on Jacober's outing: "He pitched in a playoff game today. It was close the entire way through. This is the way we need to pitch and play for the next month."
Topolie on bouncing back from a poor display a night earlier: "It was a huge bounce back game because we flat out did not play well on Saturday. For the guys to come out today and gut it out, that's what we want."
Topolie on facing (and getting a hit!) off of former teammate Brett Lawson, in what very well could have been the last matchup between the two IBL greats: "It was pretty cool. A couple of the guys were making fun of me, saying it was a matchup from 2007, but to get a hit off him, it was pretty cool. The fact that we are both still playing and competing is pretty awesome."
LOOKING AHEAD...
The Leafs are off until Wednesday when they host the Kitchener Panthers for the third and final time this season.
Photo: Craig Aikin