Estrada Dazzles Again As Part Of Shutout Win

VANCOUVER, BC – Another sterling showing from starter Lazaro Estrada and two runs that scored without the help of a hit were the difference in 2-0 win for the Canadians Tuesday night at The Nat, the first of six games opposite the Hillsboro Hops [AZ] this week.

Estrada (W, 2-2) was in command all night. After stranding a one-out infield single followed by a walk in the first, the right-hander went on to face the minimum in four of the next six innings and racked up seven strikeouts over 25 total batters. He got some help from his defence; Jamari Baylor handled a hot smash at third to start a 5-3 double play, Jace Bohrfen made a pair of acrobatic catches in centre and catcher Jommer Hernandez wiped away a lead-off double with a pick-off and completed a strike ‘em out/throw ‘em out to back Estrada’s efforts.

The decisive run scored in the bottom of the fourth. Peyton Williams worked a one-out walk then Jackson Hornung hit a soft ground ball on an odd hop towards second base. Hops second baseman Manny Pena charged the grounder, but the ball was briefly obscured by Williams as he ran to second. He couldn’t make the play, and the error was followed by a passed ball that advanced both runners. Je’Von Ward cashed in with a fielder’s choice to break up the shutout and put the C’s in front 1-0.

Hops starter Avery Short (L, 3-5) matched wits with Estrada frame after frame. The southpaw’s lone blemish was the fourth inning unearned run and he limited the Canadians to a pair of singles – both from Hernandez – with two walks and four strikeouts over seven innings of work. Both pitchers threw 93 pitches.

After Grayson Thurman (H, 5) struck out two in the top of the eighth, a big insurance run came across in the home half. Hernandez led off with a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Marcos De La Rosa. He got to second on a groundout then stole third on a close play at the bag before Jamari Baylor’s sacrifice fly doubled the Vancouver advantage.

Conor Larkin (S, 2) retired the side in order in the ninth to lock down a fourth consecutive win for the Canadians.

With the win, the C’s are 4-0 to start the second half for the first time in the High-A era and are alone in first place in the Northwest League for the first time this season.

Estrada’s seven innings without a run tonight extended his scoreless innings streak to 18.1. Larkin has now gone 12 consecutive outings with no runs.

A win tomorrow would establish a new season-long winning streak. Pat Gallagher toes the slab for the C’s opposite Hillsboro’s Roman Angelo. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. with coverage of RE/MAX Canadians Baseball available across the Canadians Broadcast Network: Sportsnet 650 and Bally Live.