C's Stop Skid But Split Doubleheader

PASCO, WA - On a night that felt like 14 innings with a little bit of everything, the Canadians managed to end their losing streak in convincing fashion before a failed – but valiant – comeback effort that led to a doubleheader split Friday night at Gesa Stadium opposite the Tri-City Dust Devils.

GAME ONE – Vancouver 9, Tri-City 0

With reigning Northwest League Pitcher of the Year Trenton Wallace on the mound for his sixth start of the year, the C’s had their best shot at avoiding a new season-long losing streak after dropping the last five games. In 35°C/95°F heat, Wallace’s first batter battled for a ten-pitch walk before he lost the second hitter on four wide ones as well.

After catcher Jommer Hernandez picked off the lead runner at second for the first out, Wallace induced a ground ball out then K’ed #7 Angels prospect Werner Blakely to end the inning. He went on to retire the next five consecutive hitters – he struck out the side in the second – before allowing the first of two hits on the day, a two-out double in the third that he quickly stranded by sitting down the next hitter to keep the game scoreless.

Wallace traded zeroes with Tri-City starter Sammy Natera Jr. (L, 1-2), who retired 10 of the first 11 C’s hitters he faced until Rainer Nunez hit a Ruthian blast to left field in the top of the fourth that broke the tie and put Vancouver up for good. The #26 Blue Jays prospect’s second homer of the season was the first of two runs the Canadians would score in the inning; Alex De Jesus doubled, went to third on a Michael Turconi single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Josh Kasevich.

Staked to a 2-0 advantage, Wallace returned to the mound in the fifth with a chance to go five complete for the sixth straight start, but two one-out walks bounced him from the game. On came Justin Kelly (W, 1-0), who doused the potentially rally with consecutive flyouts to preserve the lead.

After a scoreless sixth, the Canadians piled on with seven runs – matching a single-game season high – on five hits in the seventh, including two-RBI knocks from Dasan Brown, Jommer Hernandez and Cade Doughty. TJ Brock got the last three outs to secure a 9-0 win.

All nine starters reached base and eight had a hit. Alan Roden extended his team-best 16-game on-base streak with a walk in the seventh thanks to the late rally.

GAME TWO – Tri-City 8, Vancouver 6

With the faint glimmer of a potential series win in sight and the Canadians playing as the home team in a makeup of the rainout in Vancouver on April 16, Rafael Sanchez took the hill for his High-A debut after tearing through the Florida State League as the circuit’s Pitcher of the Month for April. He set down the side in order in the first but allowed a couple of runners to reach to begin the second then surrendered a two-RBI double to start the scoring.

The C’s punched right back in the bottom of the frame, with some help from the Tri-City twilight. Alex De Jesus led off and hit a fly ball that center fielder Joe Stewart lost in the lights and landed behind him for a triple then Kasevich singled De Jesus home to cut the deficit in half. Dasan Brown followed with another fly ball to center that disappeared, this time for double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Estiven Machado and Lyle Lin contributed run-scoring groundouts to put Vancouver in front 3-2.

Tri-City got to Sanchez for four runs on five consecutive hits to start the third then capitalized on a tight strike zone to get two more in the fourth that increased their lead to 8-3.

Down but not yet out, the Canadians showed some life when Lin led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and came around to score on a two-out base hit from Nunez. De Jesus and Kasevich began the fifth with hits and scored two more runs thanks to Brown and Machado to make it 8-6, but that would be the closest the C’s would get.

Braden Scott and Mason Fluharty kept the Dust Devils off the scoreboard from the fifth through the seventh but the offense couldn’t mount one last rally and Tri-City secured the series win.

Kasevich – Toronto’s #13 prospect – had a career-high four hits, scored twice and drove in a run to pace the offense. De Jesus had two hits and Machado led the way with two RBI.

The C’s send #11 Blue Jays prospect Dahian Santos to the hill on Saturday night in an effort salvage the series. He’ll be opposed by Chase Chaney. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. with coverage on CanadiansBaseball.com and the Sportsnet Radio Network.

The Canadians return to Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium May 30-June 4 for a six-game series with the Eugene Emeralds (Giants).