Comeback Triumph Sets Up Chance To Tie Record

VANCOUVER, BC – A three-run bottom of the eighth spurred the Canadians to an eighth consecutive win Saturday afternoon in a 7-4 takedown of the Hillsboro Hops [AZ] at The Nat.

Tied at four to begin the penultimate frame, Johnathan Lavallee (W, 1-2) stranded a one-out single to keep the game even going into the home half. Dasan Brown sparked the offense with an infield single, stole second then raced home for the go-ahead run on a Jace Bohrofen single to right field. With Bohrofen at second after the throw to the plate went wide, Peyton Williams doubled him home then Je’Von Ward plated Williams from second with a base hit to make it 7-4.

Josh Mollerus (S, 5) needed just seven pitches – all of them strikes – to retire the side in order in the top of the ninth and lock down Vancouver’s eighth win in a row.

Brown started the scoring with an RBI double in the bottom of the second to give the C’s an early 1-0 lead, but Hillsboro responded with two in the third and two more in the fourth to go up 4-1 for their largest lead of the series.

The Canadians were undeterred. They loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth and scored their second run of the game on a double play before tying the game with a two-out rally in the fifth. Ward beat the throw to first on a ground ball to third, Nick Goodwin was hit by a pitch and Robert Brooks walked for the third consecutive plate appearance to set the table for Jean Arnaez, who laced a two-RBI single to center that made it 4-4.

Rafael Ohashi logged two and a third scoreless innings of relief to keep the Hops at bay before Lavallee and Mollerus took care of the rest.

Brown and Williams paced the offense with three hits apiece while Ward and Estiven Machado each contributed two knocks.

The Canadians can tie their franchise best winning streak if they can sweep Hillsboro tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. across the C’s Broadcast Network: Sportsnet 650 and Bally Live.