Dallas Sets Tone In Skid-Snapping Win

VANCOUVER, BC – Chad Dallas has pitched in much bigger games than Wednesday’s Northwest League affair between the Canadians and the Eugene Emeralds (Giants), a cool Vancouver night in April just 13 games into a summer-long marathon that won’t cross the finish line until mid-September. After all, it was two short years ago that the Orange, TX native was starring for the Tennessee Volunteers – who he led to a College World Series – in front of raucous SEC crowds. But the fourth rounder’s performance at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium tonight was big in a different way; not only did it end a five-game losing streak for the C’s thanks to a 9-2 triumph, but it earned Dallas the second win of his career, a stat that eluded him on multiple occasions last season after winning his pro debut in April.

From the first pitch at 7:07 p.m., Dallas was in command. He set down the side in order on seven pitches in the top of the first then worked around a single and a walk in the second with the first two of his six strikeouts. #12 Blue Jays prospect Gabby Martinez delivered the opening punch of the night when he led off the second with his first homer of the year, which put Vancouver in front of their opponent for the first time since the eighth inning on Thursday in Everett (the first of those five consecutive losses coming into today).

Staked to a 1-0 advantage, Dallas continued to deal. He went on to face the minimum from the third through the fifth, with the only blemish coming on a one-out plunking of Emeralds lead-off man Grant McCray. He promptly picked off McCray – who took off for second a hair too soon – and set down the final seven hitters of his night to keep the 1-0 lead intact.

The Canadians offense turned it on soon after Dallas threw his final pitch. They took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Michael Turconi doubled to start the frame, went to third on a deep fly out then dashed home on a ground ball to first to beat the throw from a drawn-in infield.

After Hunter Gregory put up a zero in the sixth, the C’s added to their advantage with three runs in the home half. Alex De Jesus led off with a walk, went to second on a wild pitch then advanced to third on a Martinez single. A balk would plate De Jesus and move Martinez to second before Riley Tirotta singled to put runners at the corners; that was followed by a Turconi sacrifice fly that made it 4-0. Tirotta stole second and third – he leads the C’s with four steals this year – and scored when Karl Ellison lined a single to left centerfield.

Eugene spoiled the shutout after Luis Toribio went deep with a man on and two outs in the seventh, but Vancouver put the game away with three more runs in the bottom of that inning. Dasan Brown reached via an infield hit, Cade Doughty walked and Martinez lined a single off the glove of the first baseman to plate the sixth Canadians score of the night. With two on and one out, Tirotta laced a double up the third base line to plate a pair and make it 8-2.

Mason Fluharty worked a scoreless eighth and Vancouver scored an unearned run on a Doughty sacrifice fly in bottom of the inning to run their lead to 9-2, which proved to be the final score after Conner Cooke struck out two in the ninth to end the game.

With the win, the C’s are now one game under .500. It was the first time they scored more than three runs in a game since their last win on Wednesday, April 19 when they beat Everett (Mariners) 8-7.

Martinez led the offense with three hits, three runs scored and two RBI. Brown and Tirotta finished with two hits apiece and eight of nine starters contributed an RBI, a run scored or both.

The Canadians will look to make it two in a row tomorrow night as part of a BCLC PlayNow Thursday with a Scratch & Win ticket giveaway for the first 1,000 fans 19 and older. #9 Blue Jays prospect Adam Macko squares off with Eugene’s Eric Silva, who is ranked as San Francisco’s #12 prospect. Gates open at 6pm and first pitch is set for 7:05pm with coverage available on CanadiansBaseball.com, Bally Live, MiLB TV and the Sportsnet Radio Network.