Jeremy Walker connected on a pair of two-run home runs to lead the Leafs to their eighth title and end Brantford’s hopes of becoming the sixth club to win back to back titles since 1946. Brantford however, does hold the record for the most consecutive championship title wins; five from 1959 to 1963.

Former Toronto Blue Jays hurler, Paul Spoljaric went six and one-third innings as the Leafs captured their first playoff crown since 2002 in seven games. Spoljaric earned the victory allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks while striking out six of the batters he faced. Darryl Craig finished up in relief. Brad Hogeterp took the loss for Brantford as he allowed six runs on eight hits through four and two-thirds innings.

The Red Sox grabbed the early lead in the top of the third, but Toronto tied in the bottom of the inning. The Leafs moved into the lead only to have Hyung Cho and Lee Delfino tie the score at 5-5 in the top of the fifth with solo home runs. Delfino celebrated his home run and was paced around the bases by an irate Spoljaric. Toronto then responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth as Matt Logan and Walker each ranked two-run home runs for a 7-3 score.

The Red Sox pulled to within two runs of the lead in the seventh with Cho’s two run home run. The Maple Leafs responded with three more runs in each of the seventh and eighth to seal the win.

Walker contributed four RBIs with Logan adding two hits and three RBIs. Playoff MVP Joe Colameco had a single and a solo home run. Nildo Puertas added a two-run home run for the Leafs. Damon Topolie added three more hits with Gamin Teague and Sean Travers getting two each. For Brantford, Cho and Josh McCurdy had three hits apiece.

                                       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9     R  H E
Brantford Red Sox      0 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 –  5   8  0
Toronto Maple Leafs 0 0 1 2 4 0 3 3 X - 13 17 2

Intercounty Baseball League champions 1946 to present

Playoff Champions repeat winners by city
12 – Kitchener (7 as Kitchener Panthers; 1 as Kitchener Waterloo Dutchmen; 4 as Kitchener
Waterloo Panthers)
11 - Stratford (9 as Stratford Hillers; 1 as Stratford Nationals; 1 as Stratford Kraven Knits)
9 – Brantford (Red Sox)
8 – Toronto (Maple Leafs)
6 – London (5 as London Majors; 1 as London Pontiacs)
5 – Guelph (1 as Guelph C-JOYS; 4 as Guelph Royals)
4 – St. Thomas (Elgins)
3 – Cambridge (1 as Galt Terriers; 2 as Cambridge Terriers)
1 – Waterloo (Tigers)
1 – Hamilton (Cardinals)
1 – Barrie (Baycats)

Most Consecutive Wins
Brantford Red Sox (5 – 1959, 60, 61, 62 & 63)

Most Times Winning Back-to-Back Titles
3 - Kitchener Panthers (2 – 1952 & 53); Kitchener Waterloo Panthers (2 – 1967 & 68);
Kitchener Panthers (2 – 2000 & 01)
3 - Stratford Hillers (2 – 1976 & 77); Stratford Hillers (2 – 1986 & 87); Stratford Hillers
(2 –1991 & 92)
1 - London Majors (2 – 1947 & 48)
1 - St. Thomas Elgins (2 – 1954 & 55)
1 - Guelph Royals (2 – 2003 & 04)

PLAYOFF RESULTS - All series are Best-of-Seven – HOME in caps

SERIES "G" - CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL SERIES FOR THE DOMINICO TROPHY
Toronto Maple Leafs (1) vs. Brantford Red Sox (2)
Game 1 – Aug 17 – Brantford 9, TORONTO 6
Game 2 - Aug 18 – Brantford 9, TORONTO 6
Game 3 - Aug 19 – Toronto 8, BRANTFORD 6
Game 4 - Aug 21 – Toronto 6, BRANTFORD 5
Game 5 - Aug 22 – TORONTO 13, Brantford 8
Game 6 - Friday August 24 - at Brantford, postponed because of rain
Game 6 - Saturday August 25 - at Brantford, postponed because of rain
Game 6 - Aug 26 – BRANTFORD 13, Toronto 1
Game 7 –Aug 29 – TORONTO 13, Brantford 5
(Toronto wins series 4-3)

Tonight (Sunday) the hometown faithful were not disappointed as the Brantford Red Sox tied their best of seven IBL championship series at 3-3 in games by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 13-1 in Arnold Anderson Stadium in the final game of their 2007 home season.

The winning pitcher was Brantford’s John Ogiltree as he went six and two-thirds innings allowing one earned on five hits and three walks while striking out six of the batters he faced. Mike Meyers pitched two and one-third innings in relief to earn the save. Jon Lockwood took the loss for Toronto as he gave up 10 runs on 11 hits through one and one-third innings. He was replaced in turn by Russ Williams and Jeff Reeves.

Raul Borjas led Brantford with two singles, a home run and two RBIs. He scored three runs.
Adam Vella connected for three singles and scored twice. Lee Delfino, Jason Gotwalt, Tyler Brunell, and Al Stephens each had two singles. Josh McCurdy added a single and a double and two RBIs. For Toronto, Danny Gibbons hit a solo home run in the 7th inning, and Gamin Teague added two singles.

The final game of the series and the final game of the 2007 IBL season will be played Wednesday night in Christie Pits at 7:35 p.m.

                                        1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R   H E
Toronto Maple Leafs  0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 –  1   6  3
Brantford Red Sox       3 7 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 – 13 18 0

If a seventh game is necessary in the best of seven Intercounty Baseball League championship it will be played at Toronto at a time to be announced.

                                       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R H E
Toronto Maple Leafs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 00 0
Brantford Red Sox      0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 00 0

PLAYOFF RESULTS - All series are Best-of-Seven – HOME in caps

SERIES "G" - CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL SERIES FOR THE DOMINICO TROPHY
                    Toronto Maple Leafs (1) vs. Brantford Red Sox (2)
Game 1 – Aug 17 – Brantford 9, TORONTO 6
Game 2 - Aug 18 – Brantford 9, TORONTO 6
Game 3 - Aug 19 – Toronto 8, BRANTFORD 6
Game 4 - Aug 21 – Toronto 6, BRANTFORD 5
Game 5 - Aug 22 – TORONTO 13, Brantford 8
Game 6 - Friday August 24 - at Brantford, postponed because of rain
Game 6 - Saturday August 25 - at Brantford, postponed because of rain
            (Toronto leads 3-2)

Game 6 - Sunday August 26 - at Brantford, 8:00 p.m. *
Game 7 - TBA - at Toronto *
* If Necessary

Most Consecutive Wins
Brantford Red Sox (5 – 1959, 60, 61,62 & 63);

Most Times Winning Two or More Times
Kitchener Panthers (2 – 1952 & 53)
Kitchener Waterloo Panthers (2 – 1967 & 68)
Kitchener Panthers (2 – 2000 & 01)
Stratford Hillers (2 – 1976 & 77)
Stratford Hillers (2 – 1986 & 87)
Stratford Hillers (2 – 1991 & 92)
London Majors (2 – 1947 & 48);
St. Thomas Elgins (2 – 1954 & 55);
Guelph Royals (2 – 2003 & 04)

As a result the sixth game will be replayed in its entirety tomorrow night (Saturday) at 8 p.m. in the friendly confines of Arnold Anderson Stadium at Brantford.

If a seventh game is necessary it will be played Sunday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. at Toronto.

                                       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R H E
Toronto Maple Leafs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 00 0
Brantford Red Sox      0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 00 0

PLAYOFF RESULTS - All series are Best-of-Seven – HOME in caps

SERIES "G" - CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL SERIES FOR THE DOMINICO TROPHY
Toronto Maple Leafs (1) vs. Brantford Red Sox (2)
Game 1 – Aug 17 – Brantford 9, TORONTO 6
Game 2 - Aug 18 – Brantford 9, TORONTO 6
Game 3 - Aug 19 – Toronto 8, BRANTFORD 6
Game 4 - Aug 21 – Toronto 6, BRANTFORD 5
Game 5 - Aug 22 – TORONTO 13, Brantford 8
Game 6 - Friday August 24 - at Brantford, postponed because of rain
            (Toronto leads 3-2)

Game 6 – Saturday August 25 - at Brantford, 8:00 p.m. *
Game 7 - Sunday August 26 - at Toronto, 2:00 p.m. *
* If Necessary

Brantford rallied from a 7-1 deficit against Spoljaric in the sixth inning before the Leafs came back with six runs in the bottom of the eighth. A two-run home run by Danny Gibbons coupled with three Brantford errors paved the way for the Toronto victory. Gibbons drove in four runs on the night.

Both teams showed the effects of playing five games in six nights as they combined for seven errors in a sloppily played game. However, it was three errors by the Red Sox that cost them the game.

The score was tied 7-7 in the eighth when Adam Vella’s error enabled Gamin Teague to score from second base for Toronto. A second error permitted another run to score before Jeremy Walker connected for a run-scoring single. Gibbons then followed with his two-run home run.

Francis allowed a run in the ninth in relief of Spoljaric, who gave up seven runs (four earned) on 13 hits through five and two-thirds innings. Francis allowed three hits and one walk while striking out four batters. Brantford starter Steve Murray went four and two-thirds innings. He hit five batters. Three Sox relievers finished the game including losing pitcher Marc Andre Major. He allowed the six runs in the eighth.

Walker had three hits and drove in four runs for Toronto while Gibbons and Teague had two hits apiece. For Brantford, Hyung Cho had four hits including a three-run home run. Brantford had 16 hits in the contest.

The series resumes in Brantford on Friday night with game six at 8 p.m. If a seventh game is necessary it will be played Sunday at 2:05 p.m. at Toronto.

                                       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9      R H  E
Brantford Red Sox      0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 1 –    8 16 4
Toronto Maple Leafs 0 0 3 0 4 0 0 6 X – 13 12 3

So it was tonight (Tuesday) as the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs edged the defending champion Brantford Red Sox 6-5 to even the series at 2-2 in games. Following the 36-game schedule these two teams finished two games apart (Toronto 29-7 and Brantford 27-9), and after four games of this series they are even-up heading to Toronto for game five in Christie Pits at 7:35 p.m. tomorrow night (Wednesday), in what is now a best of three series.

Jon Lockwood went nine complete innings for Toronto to earn the victory. He allowed five runs on 10 hits and two walks while recording three strikeouts.

Mark Ferguson took the loss for Brantford in relief of starting pitcher Stefan Strecker. In one and two-thirds innings, he gave up one earned run (a solo home run by Sean Travers in the eighth inning) on three hits and a walk. He had one strikeout. Marc-Andre Major finished the game. Strecker went five inning allowing seven hits and five runs (three earned) while striking out two batters.

Tyler Burnell had two singles, a double, and a RBI. Raul Borjas added a single, a double, and a RBI, and Al Stephens had a single and a double. For Toronto, Joe Colameco had three singles and two RBIs. Danny Gibbons added a pair of singles, and Damon Topolie had two singles in addition to the game-winning Travers home run.

                                       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R H E
Toronto Maple Leafs 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 1 0 – 6  9  5
Brantford Red Sox      0 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 – 5 10 1

PLAYOFF RESULTS - All series are Best-of-Seven – HOME in caps

SERIES "G" - CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL SERIES FOR THE DOMINICO TROPHY
Toronto Maple Leafs (1) vs. Brantford Red Sox (2)
Game 1 – Aug 17 – Brantford 9, TORONTO 6
Game 2 - Aug 18 – Brantford 9, TORONTO 6
Game 3 - Aug 19 – Toronto 8, BRANTFORD 6
Game 4 - Aug 21 – Toronto 6, BRANTFORD 5
(Series tied 2-2)

Game 5 - Wednesday August 22 - at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. *
Game 6 - Friday August 24 - at Brantford, 8:00 p.m. *
Game 7 - Sunday August 26 - at Toronto, 2:00 p.m. *
* If Necessary

More than 1,500 fans watched as the Maple Leafs clawed their way back into the series which the Red Sox lead 2-1 in games. Game four goes Tuesday night in the Telephone City in Arnold Anderson Stadium at 8 p.m., with game five at Toronto in Christie Pits at 7:35 p.m.

Russ Williams got the win as he started for Toronto, and went five and one-third innings allowing four earned runs on 11 hits and two walks. He had one strikeout. Brad Firth followed and pitched one and two-thirds innings giving up two more runs (one earned) on two hits white retiring two batters on strikes. He was replaced in turn by Jeff Reeves and Doug Dimma.

For Brantford, Brett Grey took the loss as he pitched five and two-thirds innings, giving up seven runs; all but one was earned on eight hits and one walk. He struck out two batters. John Ogiltree pitched two-thirds of an inning and gave up one run on one hit while retiring one batter on strikes. Mark Ferguson finished the game.

The eventual game-winning run was scored in the sixth when Rob Gillis singled and later scored on a balk by Ogiltree. Joe Colameco had a single and a double, and scored twice for Toronto with Gamin Teague and Matt Logan getting two singles and a RBI each.

For the Red Sox, Josh McCurdy hit two singles and a double, and had two RBIs. Adam Vella added a single and a leadoff home run for the Red Sox in the bottom of the first inning. Raul Borjas and Hyung Cho had two singles each.

                                      1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R H  E
Toronto Maple Leafs 1 0 1 0 0 5 1 0 0 – 8 9  2
Brantford Red Sox      4 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 – 6 13 3

John Ogiltree and Mark Major came on relief of Brantford starter Mike Meyers with Ogiltree working three innings for the victory. He allowed one run on two hits before giving way to Major, who survived a bases loaded situation to earn the save.

Toronto starter Paul Spoljaric went six and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk. He struck out two. Jeff Reeves, who came on in relief, pitched one-third of an inning and was tagged for four runs (one earned) in the seventh, and took the loss. He gave up two hits and a walk.

The Leafs knocked out 25 hits in two games against Brantford pitching, but trail 2-0 in the series. Toronto collected 13 hits Saturday afternoon as Topolie picked up three hits with
Rob Gillis, Joe Colameco, and Gamin Teague adding two hits apiece.

However, it was the disastrous eighth inning, which sealed the Leafs fate in this game. Red Sox Lee Delfino led off the inning with a solo home run and tied the score at 6-6. Josh McCurdy followed with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Jason Gotwalt was retired on strikes, but Topolie juggled a third strike, necessitating a throw to first base to record the out. Unfortunately or fortunately as you would view it, the throw sailed over the head of first baseman Nildo Puertas into right field. McCurdy ceased the opportunity and raced home to score the game-winning run.

The Red Sox scored two more runs later in the inning on RBI singles by Wayne Foreman and Tyler Brunell. Foreman had three of Brantford’s 12 hits while McCurdy and Adam Vella added two hits each.

                                       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R H  E
Brantford Red Sox       1 0 0 0 2 0 2 4 0 – 9 12 2
Toronto Maple Leafs 0 0 0 2 3 1 0 0 0 – 6 13  5

Brad Hogeterp pitched seven and two-thirds solid innings as he out-pitched Maple Leafs rookie David Francis. Hogeterp left the game with a 9-3 lead in the eighth, but Toronto batters decided to make the game interesting.

Justin Spring hit a three-run home run off Brantford reliever Aaron Boag to make it 9-6. Mark Major came on in the ninth and closed out the game. Hogeterp allowed five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and three walks during his tenure.

For Toronto, Francis went four and two-thirds innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits and five walks. He struck out four. Darryl Craig pitched the final four and one-third innings.

Lee Delfino and Josh McCurdy provided solo home runs for the Sox, however, it was Vella’s three-run double in the second inning that put the Red Sox in front to stay. Vella had two of Brantford’s 12 hits with Raul Borjas, Jason Gotwalt, and Wayne Foreman adding two hits apiece.

The Maple Leafs gained the early momentum when Gamin Teague opened the match with a solo home run. Joe Colameco also homered for Toronto, while Teague, Sean Travers, and Nildo Puertas had two hits each.

                                       1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R H E
Brantford Red Sox      0 3 0 1 3 1 0 1 0 –  9 12 0
Toronto Maple Leafs 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 – 6 12 0