Leafs claw back to beat Panthers

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs scored seven straight runs in the last two innings to stun the Kitchener Panthers 8-7 on Wednesday night at Christie Pits.

Trailing 7-1, the Leafs scored four times in the eighth inning and capped their comeback with three runs in the ninth. Kerian Wong scored on a wild pitch to end the game.

Jose Vinicio led the Leafs with a solo homer and three runs. Jordan Castaldo and Johnathan Solazzo had two RBI apiece. Castaldo’s two-run single tied the game in the ninth.

Justin Marra and Greg Carrington each drove in a run.

Toronto reliever Julian Tymochko (1-0) gave up a hit and a walk and struck out two to earn the win. Leafs’ starter Sam Greene was pulled with two out in the fifth after allowing five runs on four hits with four walks and four punchouts.

Toronto improved to 1-4.

Kitchener’s Jack Anderson (0-1) was touched for three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. He walked two and didn’t register a strikeout. It spoiled Yadian Martiniez’s one-run, four-hit performance over seven innings. Martinez walked one and fanned 13.

Offensively, Yunior Ibarra hit a grand slam for the Panthers (0-4). Ryan Burnside drove in two runs and Nick Parsons added an RBI.

Jett Jarvis singled, doubled and scored twice, and Stephen Whalen had three singles.