It wasn’t the least bit pretty, but the Toronto Maple Leafs will take any ugly win they can get.
Dan Gibbons scored the winning run on a wild pitch from reliever Kurtis Robinson in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifting the Leafs to a 5-4 win over the Mississauga Twins in Intercounty Baseball League play Sunday at Dominico Field at Christie Pits.
The Leafs scored their last three runs of the game on wild pitches and made the most of just six hits to improve to 12-8, taking over sole possession of third place in the IBL one game ahead of the hard-luck Twins (11-9).
Two wild pitches accounted for two Toronto runs in the seventh to give the Leafs a 4-1 lead, but a three-run homer from pinch hitter Derek Gordon in the ninth inning tied the game.
That set the stage for the 10th, when Robinson uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Gibbons to scamper home with the game-winning run.
“It was good to score, I just wanted to get this game over with,” Gibbons said. “We should have put it away earlier so it was good to get it done finally.
“I saw the ball hit the back of the screen so I just took off. Luckily it didn’t bounce back too hard and I was able to get in.”
Toronto manager Tim Harkness was just relieved to get another win as the Leafs moved a season-best four games over .500.
“Our guys came through when it counted and we got through it,” Harkness said. “The important thing is that we won the ballgame.”
Toronto reliever Cody Powell got the win, despite surrendering Gordon’s homer in the ninth. He went 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
Starter Drew Taylor had his best outing of the season, giving up just one run on two hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking two. Jake Gallo got four outs before Powell replaced him in the eighth.
Gibbons hit a two-run homer for the Leafs in the first and wound up with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI.
Matt Bannister, the fourth of five Twins pitchers, was saddled with the loss. He allowed one run on one hit with two walks and a strikeout over one inning.
Branson Joseph had two hits and drove in a run for the Twins, while Ian Choy had two hits and scored a run for the losers.
The Leafs pounded out 15 hits in a 12-6 win over Guelph on Saturday, so they are finding different ways to win, something Gibbons likes.
“We’re on the right track, if we put together a good streak here we can get back to the top of the standings,” Gibbons said.
The Leafs host the Hamilton Thunderbirds Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Dominico Field at Christie Pits.