Long Ball, Walks Lobotomize C's In Loss
VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians fell 10-7 to the Eugene Emeralds [SF] Wednesday night at The Nat after allowing a season-high four homers and matching a season high with 11 walks, four of which came into score. Despite the defeat, the C’s saw their magic number to make the playoffs
VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians fell 10-7 to the Eugene Emeralds [SF] Wednesday night at The Nat after allowing a season-high four homers and matching a season high with 11 walks, four of which came into score. Despite the defeat, the C’s saw their magic number to make the playoffs fall to one after Hillsboro lost at Tri-City earlier in the evening.
Eugene scored in the first inning for the second consecutive game. They used a lead-off walk, a two-run homer and back-to-back jacks with two outs later in the frame to lead 4-0 before the C’s had a chance to bat.
The Emeralds hung another crooked number in the second, plating three on a two-run homer from 2024 first rounder James Tibbs III – his first as a pro – plus a walk, single and wild pitch, but the Canadians would spoil the shutout in the third. After Jacob Sharp singled to start the stanza, Je’Von Ward homered for the second time in as many games to make it 7-2 Eugene.
MLB.com’s #20 Blue Jays prospect Juaron Watts-Brown (L, 1-6) was roughed up for eight runs on six hits with five walks and six Ks, though seven of the eight scores came in the first two of his four and a third innings of work.
Trailing 8-2 after four and a half, the Canadians added to their output in the bottom of the fifth. Ward walked and went to second on an errant pick-off throw before Peyton Williams’ second double of the night – and his third hit – plated Ward. A wild pitch moved Williams to third for a Jackson Hornung sacrifice fly that brought the score to 8-4.
Eugene took advantage of consecutive walks that started the seventh and scored a pair of runs with a single and a sacrifice fly to go up 10-4, though the C’s made it interesting with three runs in the eighth. Brennan Orf and Nick Goodwin hit consecutive doubles before Jace Bohrofen and Ward delivered run-scoring singles to cut the deficit to three.
After JJ Sanchez inherited the bases loaded with one out in the top of the ninth and struck out the two batters he faced, Vancouver showed life in the bottom of the inning with a pair of singles from Cutter Coffey and Jay Harry that brought the tying run to the plate. But three straight outs followed, and the Canadians lost 10-7.
All nine starters contributed something at the plate and eight had a hit. Both Williams and Harry finished with three knocks to pace the offense while Ward has now reached in 25 consecutive games.
The C’s are win-and-in tomorrow night. Mississauga, ON native Connor O’Halloran takes the ball for the Canadians opposite Eugene’s Josh Wolf. First pitch for RE/MAX Canadians Baseball is set for 7:05 p.m. across the C’s Broadcast Network: Bally Live and Sportsnet 650.