Leafs use longball to edge Jackfish

Photo by Craig Aikin

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs used three home runs to power past the Welland Jackfish, 7-6, Sunday afternoon at Christie Pits. 

Johnathan Solazzo hit a three-run blast in the first to pull the Leafs even. Marcus Knecht and Garret Takamatsu, who finished with three hits, went back-to-back with solo shots to open the bottom of the seventh and tie the game 6-6. Chandler McLaren scored the winning run on an error five batters later. 

Marek Deska (2-0) threw three innings of one-run ball for the win. He scattered four hits while walking one and striking out three. Starter Mateos Kekatos fanned five in six innings. He allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits with four walks. 

Will Jackman (0-1) took the loss after giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits in 1.2 innings. He walked two and struck out one. Jake Polancic started and went five innings, allowing four runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts. 

Matt Hilderbrandt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in the loss. Dane Tofteland drove in two, Brendon Dadson had three hits, an RBI an a run, Todd Gowan drove in a run, and Cole Warken and Griffin Keller picked up two hits apiece. 

Toronto improved to 4-4, and Welland dropped to 3-6.