Devonte's Dinger Drives C's To Win
VANCOUVER, BC – A two-run shot from red-hot Devonte Brown was the difference in a 4-2 win for the Canadians over the Eugene Emeralds [Giants] in front of a sold-out crowd at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium Friday night. After the C’s rallied to tie the game at two
VANCOUVER, BC – A two-run shot from red-hot Devonte Brown was the difference in a 4-2 win for the Canadians over the Eugene Emeralds [Giants] in front of a sold-out crowd at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium Friday night.
After the C’s rallied to tie the game at two in the fifth thanks to a two-out single from #21 Blue Jays prospect Alex De Jesus, Brown’s big fly in the sixth was set up by a Gabby Martinez lead-off single. The Newnan, GA native fouled off three 0-2 pitches before cranking a Nick Morreale (L, 4-1) breaking ball over The Nutrl Zone in left to put Vancouver in front for good.
Matt Svanson (S, 6) struck out the side around a two-out single to secure the win in Vancouver’s first game after the All-Star Break.
On the slope, Kevin Miranda made another start and was backed by a run thanks to three consecutive singles in the bottom of the first – the last of which was a Michael Turconni base knock to start the scoring – then went three and two-thirds in which he allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
It was the bullpen that carried the load late. Conor Larkin (W, 1-1) inherited two runners in scoring position and a 2-1 deficit in the fourth then retired the lone batter he faced before putting up two more zeroes in the fifth and sixth to give the C’s a chance to comeback and win. Sam Ryan (H, 1) continued his run of relief success with a pair of scoreless frames.
The Canadians offense didn’t miss a beat despite the four-day sabbatical. Eight of nine starters reached base, seven had a knock and double-digit hits were logged for the third time in the last five games. Martinez and Alan Roden – whose first inning single extended his hitting streak to 13 games – paced the group with three hits apiece. Brown has homered in three of his last four.
With the win, the C’s are a league-best 11-5 in the second half and 49-32 overall. 17 games over .500l Is tied for their largest gap between wins and losses this year.
Vancouver and Eugene return to The Nat on Saturday night for the second consecutive Postgame Fireworks Extravaganza of the weekend. Michael Dominguez toes the slab opposite Emeralds righty Daniel Blair, who will make his High-A debut. Gates open at 6pm and first pitch is set for 7:05pm. Coverage is available on CanadiansBaseball.com, the MiLB First Pitch app, Bally Live and the Sportsnet Radio Network