O'Halloran Leads C's To Shutout Win

VANCOUVER, BC – Newcomer Connor O’Halloran celebrated his High-A debut with five scoreless innings to kick-start a 3-0 win for the Canadians over the Tri-City Dust Devils [Angels] Thursday night at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.

Freshly promoted from Single-A Dunedin, O’Halloran (W, 1-0) had his best stuff going for him all night. He worked around a one-out double in the first and allowed just one more hit – a third inning single – over five sterling stanzas in which he scattered two walks and four strikeouts while allowing just one runner to reach third base. The 21-year-old threw 88 pitches (51 strikes) in his outing.

Vancouver took the lead for good when they broke up the tie in the bottom of the fourth. Nick Goodwin cracked a one-out double then scored after Jackson Hornung laced an RBI single on a 1-2 pitch to make it 1-0.

Goodwin and Hornung teamed up for the second C’s score of the night as well. The former began the sixth with a double then went to third when the latter legged out an infield hit to put men at the corners. Goodwin raced home on a ground ball to double the Canadians advantage to 2-0.

After O’Halloran’s exit, Carson Pierce (H, 1) dominated for two scoreless innings of relief. He faced one batter over the minimum and struck out a season-high three batters. Johnathan Lavallee (H, 3) followed with a 1-2-3 eighth that featured two Ks.

The C’s added an insurance run in the eighth to seal the win. Goodwin walked to start the stanza, stole second and came home when Hornung ripped a double under the glove of the third baseman for his second RBI of the game.

Josh Mollerus (S, 2) slammed the door in the ninth to seal the 3-0 win. It was Vancouver’s fourth shutout of the season.

Six of nine starters got on base and five had a knock. Hornung’s three hits paced the offense while Goodwin and Dasan Brown reached three times apiece.

With the series even 1-1, the Canadians and Dust Devils square off in a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon as part of a FortisBC ‘Nooner at The Nat. Ryan Jennings and Chris McElvain are set to go for the C’s; Tri-City has tabbed #20 Angels prospect Joel Hurtado for the first tilt and has yet to name a game two starter. Coverage of RE/MAX Canadians Baseball begins with the C’s Pregame Show at 1:00 p.m. and first pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. across the Canadians Broadcast Network: Sportsnet 650 (radio game one, alt feed game two) and Bally Live.