Maple Leafs lose big to Panthers, drop 8 of last 9

By Rob Vona

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost by a score of 10-2 to the Kitchener Panthers on Wednesday night at Dominico Field, dropping their eighth game in their last nine. 

Left-fielder Ryan Dos Santos gave the Maple Leafs an early 1-0 lead with a single through the left side of the infield in the bottom of the first inning off of Pedro De Los Santos. 

Kitchener was very quick to respond, pouncing on Wilgenis Alvarado in the second inning with five runs highlighted by a bases clearing double from centre-fielder Blake Jacklin.

Toronto shortstop Jose Vinicio cashed in one run in the bottom half of the second inning with a sacrifice-fly to centre-field but yet again, the Panthers had an immediate answer. 

A single up the middle from shortstop Spencer Ross allowed for two more runners to score, which would spell the end of the day for Alvarado who managed to record only seven outs and was charged with the loss after surrendering eight earned runs. 

Leading 8-2, De Los Santos settled in and made quick work of Toronto’s bats, going a strong six innings allowing no earned runs on four hits, he was credited with his second win of the year. 

With a comfortable six run lead, the Panthers would tack on another run in the fifth inning courtesy of a sac fly from third baseman Raul Gonzalez and another run in the top of the ninth inning on a booming triple off the bat of Jacklin. He finished with a game-high three hits. 

The Maple Leafs will head to Barrie, Ont. on Thursday night to take on the Barrie Baycats at Vintage Throne Stadium at 7:35 p.m. before coming back home on Sunday to face off against the Hamilton Cardinals at 2:00 p.m.