C's Homer Their Way To Doubleheader Sweep

EUGENE, OR – Losers of three straight, the Canadians bounced back with a pair of wins in a doubleheader opposite the Eugene Emeralds [Giants] Saturday night at PK Park.

Game 1 – Canadians 6, Emeralds 2

The C’s wasted no time jumping out to their first lead of the week when Devonte Brown hit a lead-off homer to start the top of the first, but it was short lived after Eugene tied it with an unearned run in the home half. In need of a quick response, the Canadians punched right back with a first pitch homer from Garrett Spain to start the second then Jeff Wehler added a solo shot in the first at-bat of the third to make it 3-1.

That homer proved to be the decisive blow, but the Canadians got some much-needed insurance in the fourth. Wehler worked a two-out walk then scored on an RBI double from Brown that sent Ems starter Seth Lonsway (L, 1-8) from the game. With William Kempner on the slope, Dasan Brown singled home Devonte to put Vancouver in front 5-1.

Eugene used a walk, two steals and a two-out single from Aeverson Arteaga in the fifth to come within three runs, but a Devonte double, a ground out and a passed ball in the top of the sixth brought home the sixth C’s run of the game to rebuild their four-run advantage for the eventual 6-2 result.

On the slope, Hunter Gregory went four strong innings as the starter and didn’t allow an earned run while scattering three hits with two walks and five Ks. Anders Tolhurst (W, 3-0) followed with three frames and surrendered one run on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

It was the 11^th time this year the C’s hit three homers in a game and it improved their record to 10-1 in those contests. Devonte paced the offense with three hits and eight total bases while Spain’s homer gave him 10 on the season, a career best. Wehler’s big fly was his first in High-A.

Game 2 – Canadians 4, Emeralds 2

Two more home runs proved crucial in a 4-2 C’s triumph in the second game to back a stout start from Rafael Sanchez.

A one-out triple from Ryan McCarty in the second inning set the table for Gabby Martinez, who uncorked a two-run shot off the videoboard in left field for his ninth blast of the season to make it 2-0 Canadians. McCarty hit a big fly of his own in the sixth after a double by Peyton Williams put a man aboard, the second homer in High-A this season from the Yardley, PA native.

Sanchez delivered four scoreless innings to keep the Ems at bay before allowing two runs on a solo homer, two singles and a wild pitch that ended his night after two outs in the fifth. He finished the game with six punchouts and didn’t allow a walk.

Conor Larkin (W, 2-1) got the final out of the fifth then set down the next six hitters he faced to preserve the lead and secure the win.

By taking both games of the doubleheader, the C’s have set up a chance to play for a series split Sunday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. Pat Gallagher will look to lead the Canadians to a third straight win while Eugene has tabbed Daniel Blair to toe the slab. Coverage is available on CanadiansBaseball.com, the MiLB First Pitch app and the Sportsnet Radio Network.

The Canadians return to Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium August 22-September 3 for a two week stretch of 12 games, the last homestand of the year. Tickets are available at CanadiansBaseball.com.