Gone To The Dogs: C's Shut Out Tuesday

VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians were on the wrong end of a tight pitcher’s duel as part of Dog Day of Summer at The Nat Tuesday night, a 1-0 loss to the Spokane Indians [COL] in front of 5,303 humans and a High-A era record 592 dogs.

Starters Lazaro Estrada (L, 0-2) and Victor Juarez (W, 2-3) were both excellent. The former established a new season high with nine strikeouts – including six in a row from the end of the first through the middle of the third – while scattering four hits without surrendering a walk while the latter turned in his fourth quality start of the year with six scoreless that featured only two hits, two walks and six Ks.

The difference was the top of the fifth. Spokane started the stanza with a single, advanced that runner to second on a wild pitch then put men at the corners with no outs on a base hit. Bryant Betancourt laid down a successful safety sacrifice squeeze to plate the game’s first and only run, though Estrada deserves credit for limiting the damage to a single score in the frame.

Once Juarez departed after six, the C’s had a couple of chances late. They put two on with one out in the eighth and brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth but failed to score in either spot. It was the fifth time they’ve been shutout this season.

Jackson Hornung paced the offense with two hits while Estiven Machado and Jamari Baylor reached twice. Grayson Thurman and Anders Tolhurst each logged two innings of scoreless relief.

The Canadians will aim to even the series at one game apiece Wednesday night. Pat Gallagher goes for Vancouver opposite Spokane’s Mason Green. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. RE/MAX Canadians Baseball begins at the top of the hour on the C’s Broadcast Network: Sportsnet 650 and Bally Live.