Two-run ninth sends Majors past Leafs on opening day

TORONTO – Tommy Reyes-Cruz doubled home Cleveland Brownlee with one out in the ninth inning to break a tie game and send the London Majors to a 7-5 win over Toronto to kick off the 2024 Intercounty Baseball League season at Christie Pits.

Reyes-Cruz came around to score on an error for an insurance run, and Majors’ reliever Jose Arias struck out Jesse Hodges with two runners on to preserve the win.

Arias (1-0), who was credited with the win on the mound, gave up a hit and a walk in his 1.1 innings of work. London starter Victor Payano went 4.2 innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Offensively, Majors’ centre-fielder Andrew Lawrence went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of steals. Byron Reichstein, Gibson Krzeminski and Kaiden Cardoso drove in London’s other runs. Brownlee had two hits.

For Toronto, Hodges drove in two runs on a pair of hits. Ryan Dos Santos also had two RBI.

Pitcher Chris Nagorski took the loss, giving up two runs on four hits with a strikeout in one inning. Wilgenis Alvarado started and went three scoreless innings, striking out three and walking one.