Harrison's Quality Start Leads C's To Win

VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians offense did just enough to back another marvelous outing from Devereaux Harrison and beat the Hillsboro Hops [D-Backs] 2-0 in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.

After Harrison (W, 3-0) traded zeroes with #10 D-Backs prospect Yu-Min Lin (L, 0-3) for the first three frames, the C’s broke through with a run in the fourth. Dasan Brown worked a lead-off walk, stole second and scored when Michael Turconi laced an RBI double to the wall in left centerfield for what proved to be the winning run.

The right-handed starter dominated over six strong innings. Harrison scattered four hits – three singles and a triple that caromed off the glove of a diving Brown in center – walked two and struck out four. The only inning the Hops put multiple men aboard was the second, when they had runners at first and second with one out before the Vacaville, CA native got the next two hitters to end the frame. Only one man reached third; Channy Ortiz’s three-bagger in the sixth put the tying run 90 feet away but Harrison struck out #7 D-Backs prospect Ivan Melendez then got Hillsboro’s best hitter J.J. D’Orazio to fly out to stymie the rally.

A big insurance run scored in the seventh. Devonte Brown started the stanza with a walk against Vancouver native Eli Saul, went to third on a base hit from Josh Kasevich and scored when Gabby Martinez lofted a fly ball deep to right for a sacrifice fly.

Abdiel Mendoza (S, 1) was terrific in a three-inning save that featured one hit – a ninth inning one out double by Melendez – no walks and three strikeouts. It was his first save in the Blue Jays organization.

With the win, the C’s secure a series win over the Hops and shave another game off their magic number as they aim to clinch the Northwest League’s first half crown. Second place Spokane (two and a half games back) plays at home against Eugene tonight and third place Tri-City (three games out) hosts Everett this evening. Four games remain in the half.

Kevin Miranda toes the slab for the Canadians in the series finale tomorrow as part of a Father’s Day edition of A&W Family Fun Sunday. The first 500 dads with their children present will take home a C’s Father’s Day Cap Giveaway. Gates open at noon, first pitch is at 1:05 p.m. and kids can run the bases after the game. Coverage is available on the MiLB First Pitch app, CanadiansBaseball.com and the Vancouver Canadians Broadcast Network.