Macko, Machado & Co. Walk It Off In Extras

VANCOUVER, BC – Two outs away from getting shutout for the second time this season, the Canadians rallied for two runs in the bottom of the tenth to walk-off the Spokane Indians [Rockies] 2-1 at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium Tuesday night to kick-start the 12-game homestand that will wrap up the 2023 home slate.

Trailing 1-0 after Spokane used two sacrifice bunts to score the placed runner from second in the top of the tenth, the C’s immediately had the winning run reach base when Josh Kasevich was hit by closer Angel Chivilli’s (BS, 8/L, 4-9) first pitch to put two men on with nobody out. After Chivilli answered back with a K, Gabby Martinez stepped to the plate. The 21-year-old – who logged one of Vancouver’s three singles in the first nine innings – reached out and flipped a 1-2 breaking ball into centerfield for a game-tying knock.

Tied at one with the winning run at second, Estiven Machado was due up next. Hitless in six straight games before tonight and 0-for-18 in that span, the Barlovento, VZ native spun on an 0-1 offering and bounced one up the chalk into the right field corner to bring home Kasevich from second with a game-winning double that put the Canadians on top 2-1.

Masterful pitching on both sides kept the game scoreless into extras. #23 Blue Jays prospect Adam Macko turned in his finest performance since joining Toronto via trade last fall; the southpaw struck out a career-best and C’s season-high 11 batters over five shutout stanzas, stranded two hits and didn’t walk a batter. He recorded all three outs of an inning via K three times while delivering a first pitch strike to 12 of 17 batters faced. Spokane’s Jarrod Cande was just as effective and nearly as dominant. The right-hander posted seven zeroes, scattered three hits, issued no walks and punched out seven on 100 pitches.

Both bullpens were good, but Vancouver’s was great. Ian Churchill picked up where Macko left off with three strikeouts over two scoreless then Conor Larkin retired all six batters he faced – including five by way of the K – before Naswell Paulino (W, 6-4) got all three batters he faced in the tenth. Paulino’s last batter was the 20^th strikeout of the game, a C’s single game season high. The quartet of Macko, Chruchill, Larkin and Paulino did not walk a batter.

With the win – their league-best 11^th walk-off – the Canadians improve to 34-15 in the second half (19-3 at home) and 72-42 (39-14 at home). 30 games above .500 is the highest over even the C’s have been this season to give them the best record in High-A and the third-best in all of Minor League Baseball.

Game two of the series is set for an RBC We Care Wednesday tomorrow night. Right-handers Devereaux Harrison and Anderson Pilar will square off at 7:05 p.m. Coverage is available on the C’s Broadcast Network: CanadiansBaseball.com, Sportsnet, Bally Live and the MiLB First Pitch App.