Majors fall in season opener to Leafs

Back where it all ended last season, the Majors travelled down the 401 to Christi Pits to take on the Maple Leafs to open the 2023 season. On a cold day in Toronto, the Majors would fall 5-4 as the Leafs would get their revenge. 

In the first inning with the bases loaded, returning outfielder Starling Joseph walked to bring in the first run of the IBL season and get the Majors rolling. Owen Boon, who for the second straight season was the Majors opening-day starter had 7 strikeouts before allowing a hit. The Londoner would finish his first outing with 10 strikeouts, 2 walks, and 2 hits while facing 20 batters through 5 innings. Offensively the Majors would scratch across another run with the bases loaded when Cleveland Brownlee would get a sac fly in the fifth before being a part of the Majors 3rd run of the game as he was at the plate when a passed ball would score Dan Battel for the 2nd time in the game. 

Pedro De Los Santos who came in after an up-and-down season in 2022 would pitch 2.2 innings while having great command of both his off-speed and his fastball. Pedro would add to the Majors strikeout numbers for the day getting 4Ks while facing 14 batters and only giving up 1 hit and being charged with 3 earned runs. Braeden Ferrington would come in with 2 outs in the 8th inning before giving up back-to-back-to-back hits where the Maple Leafs would tie the game before finally getting the 3rd out on a runner advancing to third. Unable to get a run across in the top of the 9th, the Majors would fall to a final score of 5-4. 

The London Majors are a member of Canada’s top baseball league, the Intercounty Baseball League. In 2021 the London Majors won the IBL Jack & Lynn Dominico Trophy. The 100-year old summer league is one of the oldest baseball leagues in the world. The league was established in 1919, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. For more information, visit www.londonmajors.com or follow the Majors on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and TikTok at @Londonmajors