Deja Vu: C's Beat Hops 8-1 Again
HILLSBORO, OR – The Canadians continued their winning ways down south Wednesday night with a similar recipe that earned them a series-opening triumph yesterday: eight runs on double-digit hits, terrific starting pitching and lock-down relief. This time, it was Devonte Brown’s three-hit, six-RBI performance that backed another sparkling showing from
HILLSBORO, OR – The Canadians continued their winning ways down south Wednesday night with a similar recipe that earned them a series-opening triumph yesterday: eight runs on double-digit hits, terrific starting pitching and lock-down relief. This time, it was Devonte Brown’s three-hit, six-RBI performance that backed another sparkling showing from Chad Dallas to lead the C’s to an 8-1 triumph over the Hillsboro Hops (D-Backs) at Ron Tonkin Field.
After Dallas went six up, six down, Vancouver took the lead for good with a run in the third. Brown singled for his first hit of the night, went to third on a base hit off the bat of Karl Ellison then scored on a fielder’s choice from Alan Roden.
The C’s put the game way with three in the fourth. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Brown, who cleared them all with a double to left field that bounced Hops starter Avery Short (0-1) from the game and made it 4-0 Vancouver.
Dallas, meanwhile, was dealing. He remained perfect until the fifth when he gave up a lead-off single to former Blue Jays minor leaguer JJ D’Orazio then got back-to-back groundouts that moved the runner to third. Jarrod Watkins worked a walk – the only one allowed by the C’s tonight – with two outs then took off for second, which prompted a throwing error from the catcher that allowed the first and final Hops run of the game to score.
The Orange, TX native didn’t allow any further damage and went back out there for the sixth, when he retired the side to end his night. Dallas’ final line: six innings (five of them perfect), one unearned run on one hit with one walk and nine strikeouts, two shy of his career-best 11 that he set on April 11. It was the first time a C’s starter worked into the sixth inning this year. A word to the wise: enjoy Chad Dallas in Canadians red and black while you can.
Brown’s outsized evening continued with an RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth and wrapped up with his two-out, two-RBI single in the ninth that scored Rainer Nunez and Gabby Martinez, who reached on consecutive one-out hits to set the table for the Newnan, GA native.
Hunter Gregory, Matt Svanson and Connor Cooke combined on the last three frames and baffled Hillsboro through the final out to secure Vancouver’s 8-1 win.
All nine starters reached base, six had a hit and four turned in multi-hit efforts. Brown and Martinez paced the offense with three hits apiece while Nunez and Ellison each recorded two knocks. Alex De Jesus established a new C’s single-game high with three walks.
With the win, the Canadians own the longest active winning streak in the league (five games) and could wake up tomorrow just a half game out of first place in the Northwest League. First place Eugene (Giants) trails Spokane (Indians) 9-2 in the sixth inning at the time of this writing.