C's Make CFL-Style Statement With 19-2 Win

VANCOUVER, BC – With the Leos in Edmonton this week, the Canadians displayed an impressive impression of their CFL counterpart at The Nat Tuesday night. They pounded out a High-A era-record 20 hits to score a season-high 19 runs in a 19-2 thrashing of the Eugene Emeralds [SF] to kick-off one of the most important series of the second half.

With the Emeralds a not-so-distant five games back of the C’s for a playoff position entering this week’s six-game set, Vancouver – fresh off a disappointing home series split with last-place Tri-City and four games back of first place Spokane – needed a tone-setting performance and got one from all sides of the ball.

As it turns out, the defense provided the opening salvo. With a runner at third after a two-base error and two outs in the top of the first, Eugene clean-up man Sabin Ceballos laced a line drive towards left centerfield that seemed destined for extra bases. Left fielder Je’Von Ward raced into the gap and, with a full extension dive reminiscent of former Canadian Kevin Pillar, took a hit and a run away from the Ems to end the frame.

From there, the offense took over. The Canadians scored first for the tenth straight game when Adrian Pinto – activated from the 60-Day Injured List for his season debut – tripled into the right field corner to lead-off the first and scored on a sacrifice fly from Peyton Williams (more on him soon). Another extra base hit and a sacrifice fly in the second inning doubled the Vancouver lead after Jacob Sharp’s two-bagger and Ward’s flyout put the C’s in front 2-0.

Once starter Pat Gallagher (W, 6-5) wrapped up five scoreless for the second consecutive start, Vancouver plated the eventual winning run in the bottom of the fifth. Nick Goodwin led off with a single, Ward doubled him to third and Victor Arias singled him home to make it 3-0.

The next three frames were a blur of action in the home halves. All nine men came to the plate in the sixth, which began with a solo shot from Williams, continued with a two-run blast from Sharp and wrapped up with an RBI single off the bat of Pinto.

Leading 7-0, the Canadians doubled their lead in the seventh. Williams again led off with a bomb, the first C’s hitter to go deep twice in a game this year, before four more hits, four walks and an error helped Vancouver go up 14-0. The inning saw 12 hitters visit the dish, 43 combined pitches were thrown by two relievers and one player – Jackson Hornung – reached base twice, first with a walk then with a two-RBI knock.

Eugene tasked reserve catcher Thomas Gavello with the eighth. He served up another six hits to score five runs, including Ward’s second double, Pinto’s third hit and the third knock of the day from Williams, a run-scoring single to give him four RBI on the night.

Newcomer Ryan Watson (S, 1) – fresh up from Single-A Dunedin – comported himself quite well in his C’s debut. The reliever retired the first nine batters he faced before surrendering a pair of runs on three hits in the ninth once the game was firmly in hand. By virtue of completing the final four innings with his team leading, he earned a rare save in a 17-run rout.

There are plenty of facts and figures to unpack from this one, with the caveat that these statistics are all from the High-A era (2021-2024). 19 runs scored matches a franchise record established in a 19-2 shellacking of Spokane as part of a doubleheader on May 28, 2023. 20 hits are a new franchise best, surpassing the original record of 18 from May 18, 2021 in a 13-4 win over Hillsboro.

The C’s scored more than the rest of the league combined (14) tonight and their 20 hits were only six less than the combined totals from the other two games in the circuit. By beating Eugene by 17, the Canadians improved their run differential to +9 in the second half and -3 on the year. It was also the first time in franchise history where they won by 10 or more runs after losing by 10 or more in the previous game; they lost 15-3 against Tri-City on Sunday.

35 total bases are not only a season high, but a franchise record. Williams led the way with nine – the most by any C’s hitter since 2021 – and it was the first time this year where four players had four or more total bases in one game. Pinto (six), Sharp (six) and Ward (four), were also all over the basepaths. Williams paced the entire group, becoming the first Canadian to homer twice in a game since Devonte Brown did so on August 13, 2023 against Tri-City. It was his first time accomplishing the feat in High-A and his third as a pro.

The C’s also tallied a season-best eight extra-base hits, their largest total since July 18, 2023 at Spokane. The franchise record is nine, established in 2022.

All nine Canadians starters recorded a hit in the game. It’s the first time the entire lineup has added a notch to the hit column since July 20, 2023, a 7-3 win at Spokane. What’s more, every hitter delivered an RBI for the first time. Williams (four), Arias (three) and Pinto (three) were the team leaders.

With their win and a Spokane loss tonight, the C’s are now three games back of first place with 29 games to play. They will visit the Indians next week in their final regular season battle with the top club in the circuit.

This week’s series continues tomorrow night. MLB.com’s #20 Blue Jays prospect Juaron Watts-Brown looks to continue the momentum for the Canadians opposite Eugene’s Manuel Mercedes. RE/MAX Canadians Baseball begins at 7:05 p.m. across the C’s Broadcast Network: Sportsnet 650 and Bally Live.