Miscues Mar Sanchez Start, C's Lose 5-2
HILLSBORO, OR – Rafael Sanchez’s team-best fifth quality start of the year was spoiled by three Canadians errors in a 5-2 loss to the Hillsboro Hops [AZ] Saturday night at Hillsboro Ballpark. The Cuban right-hander was staked to a 1-0 lead after the C’s used a one-out double from Brennan
HILLSBORO, OR – Rafael Sanchez’s team-best fifth quality start of the year was spoiled by three Canadians errors in a 5-2 loss to the Hillsboro Hops [AZ] Saturday night at Hillsboro Ballpark.
The Cuban right-hander was staked to a 1-0 lead after the C’s used a one-out double from Brennan Orf and a Je’Von Ward RBI single to grab the lead in the second, but after three scoreless stanzas the Hops plated two unearned runs in the fourth.
Jack Hurley popped one up to shallow right field, where second baseman Jean Arnaez camped underneath it to make the catch. He was collided with from behind by Brennan Orf – the right fielder – and the ball was knocked loose, officially an E9 that had Hurley at second. Gino Groover followed with a base hit to right field to put runners at the corners with no outs. A ground ball came next, which Peyton Williams fielded while conceding the tying run at the plate. He stepped on the bag then threw to second to try and complete the 3-6 double play, but his throw went wide and into the outfield to allow Groover to get to third. A Jose Fernandez put the Hops in front 2-1.
Vancouver rallied to tie the game in the fifth. Jeff Wehler led off with a single, went to second on a two-out balk then scored when Dasan Brown singled him home.
Sanchez put up a zero in the fifth, but Hillsboro would take the lead for good in the sixth. A lead-off walk, a single and a sacrifice bunt had two men in scoring position and one out. With the infield in, a ground ball to shortstop went right off the glove of Estiven Machado for an error that allowed both runners to score and make it 4-2 Hops. They would add another run in the seventh to pad their lead and go on to win 5-2.
With the loss, the Canadians drop their first of four series against the Hops this season. They will try and salvage the week with a win tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 p.m., with Carson Pierce taking the ball opposite Hillsboro’s Jacob Steinmetz. Coverage of RE/MAX Canadians Baseball will be available on Sportsnet 650.