Toronto's bats stay hot in Wednesday win over Cards

Photo by Craig Aikin

Toronto, ON -- Toronto's bats stayed hot in a 15-9 win over Hamilton Wednesday night at Christie Pits. 

Three days after touching Welland for 18 runs, the Leafs (2-1) nearly matched that number on 12 hits to improve to 2-1. Justin Marra and Johnathan Solazzo each had two hits and a home run. They combined for seven RBI and three runs. Lead-off hitter Grant Tamane drove in three, Jordan Castaldo had two hits, two runs and two RBI, Sean Reilly went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run, while Garret Takamatsu and Connor Lewis combined for seven runs near the bottom of the lineup. 

The Leafs trailed 7-2 going into the sixth before exploding for 13 runs in their last three innings.

Chandler McLaren (1-0) earned the win in one inning of relief, allowing two runs (one earned) with a strikeout. Mateos Kekatos struck out three in two perfect frames for his first save. Jeff Liddell started and went 3.2 innings. yielding five runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts. 

Cal Brazier led the Cards' offence with a home run, double, three RBI and two runs. Laine Renaud also went deep with a solo blast. Connor Bowie singled and scored three times apiece, and Jeremie Veilleux and Jordan Young each drove in two. 

Five of the seven runs Owen Macneil (0-1) allowed in 1.2 innings of relief were unearned. He scattered four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Starter Matt Duffy went five innings, giving up two runs on six hits with a walk and five strikeouts.