Back-And-Forth Bout Ends With C's On Top

VANCOUVER, BC – In a game that had it all, the Canadians did just enough to rally from behind twice after taking an early lead to beat the Tri-City Dust Devils (Angels) 6-5 in front of a packed Nat Bailey Stadium Saturday night for their fourth consecutive win.

The game wasn’t decided until the last of the eighth. With the score tied 5-5, Glenn Santiago was hit by a pitch from Ivan Armstrong (L, 1-2) to start the frame. Soon after, an errant snap throw to first by catcher Straton Podaras sailed into the corner in right field to allow Santiago to scamper to third. That set up a go-ahead sacrifice fly from #5 Blue Jays prospect Leo Jimenez to plate the runner and put the C’s in front for good.

Jol Concepcion (W, 4-3) stranded the potential tying run at second base in the top of the ninth to secure Vancouver’s third one-run win of the week.

A two-out, two-RBI double from Jimenez in the bottom of the second started the scoring. It was the first time the Canadians scored first in the series, but the lead only lasted until the fourth. Starter Trenton Wallace – who had wriggled out of traffic on the bases in each of his first three frames without any damage being done – loaded the bases with no outs and was replaced by Naswell Paulino, who got the first batter he faced to pop out but surrendered a game-tying single to D’Shawn Knowles then watched a run-scoring fielder’s choice put the Dust Devils ahead 3-2.

The C’s offense went right back to work in the fifth. Riley Tirotta tripled to start the stanza but was nearly stranded after the next two batters were retired. Up stepped Andres Sosa, who had doubled earlier in the game to set the table for Jimenez’s RBI two-bagger. The Hermosillo, Mexico slugged a line drive homer into the left field bullpen to put Vancouver back in front 4-3

After limiting the damage to those three inherited runners in the fourth, Paulino went on to retire eight of the nine batters he faced from the fifth through the seventh inning before Concepcion took over with two outs in the seventh. Tri-City would rally with an infield single and the first professional home run from Joe Stewart to retake a one-run lead.

Vancouver tied it in the home half with more clutch hitting from Sosa. Miguel Hiraldo worked a two-out walk against Emilker Guzman – who has been one of the finest relievers in the league this year but has twice given up walk-off hits to the Canadians – before Sosa clubbed a game-tying double to the corner in right field to make it 5-5.

Sosa’s three hits paced the offense and he was joined by Jimenez with three RBI apiece. All nine starters reached base and six had a hit.

With the win and Eugene’s (Giants) loss tonight, Vancouver now has a game and a half advantage in the second half standings. They have secured a series win over Tri-City and will look to make it five straight victories tomorrow afternoon as part of an A&W Family Fun Sunday. Southpaws Jimmy Robbins and Jose Salvador will do battle at 1:05 p.m. with coverage available on CanadiansBaseball.com, MiLB.TV and the Sportsnet Radio Network