Big Night for Cardinals hitters in win over Leafs

TORONTO – The Hamilton Cardinals pounded Toronto pitching for 21 hits and took advantage of six Leafs' errors in a 22-5 win Wednesday night at Christie Pits.

Grant Arnold went 4-for-6 with six RBI and hit one of four Hamilton home runs. Jake Chiaravalle also went deep as part of a three-hit night. He drove in two and scored three times. Mike Ceechetto homered, singled and had three RBI and four runs, and Laine Renaud went 2-for-6 with a home run, two RBI and two runs.

Justin Gideon had five hits, three RBI and two runs, Chris Beer drove in three with two hits and scored twice, Connor Bowie had an RBI and a run, Luke Tevlin singled, doubled and scored three times, and Connor Patterson added an RBI and four runs.

Chris Lazar (1-0) earned the win, giving up a hit and two walks with two strikeouts over 1.1 scoreless innings. Zackary Gonzalez started and went 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits with a walk and four punchouts.

Mateo Kekatos (2-1) took the loss, giving up six runs (five earned) in five innings. He scattered seven hits and walked four while striking out three.

Offensively, Jonathan Solazzo hit two solo home runs and scored three times. Zac Orchard singled, doubled and drove in two, Justin Marra had four hits and a run, Mike Reeves had an RBI and a run, and Damon Topolie singled twice.

Hamilton improved to 2-1, and Toronto dropped to 3-2. 

CARDINALS GAME NOTES: 

* The 22 runs scored by the Cardinals is the most since Pointstreak has been used to keep stats (2010)

* Chiaravalle's homerun was his 7th career homerun, Renaud's 5th, Arnold and Ceechetto both hit there 3rd

* Gideon's double was his 39th career double

* Lazar picked up this 8th career win 

* Toronto's Damon Topolie's 2 hits gives him 780 career hits, leaving him 10 behind Kevin Hinton for 2nd All-Time.

* Next game for Cardinals is on Saturday May 25th in Guelph, with the 2019 HOME OPENER on Sunday May 26th vs Barrie 2pm