Rogers Shines In Shutout Win

VANCOUVER, BC – A Vancouver High-A era-record eight scoreless innings authored by newcomer Grant Rogers and a home run on the first pitch recently acquired infielder Jay Harry saw as a Canadian proved to be the difference in a 4-0 win in one hour and 59 minutes over the Tri-City Dust Devils [LAA] Saturday night at The Nat.

After Rogers (W, 1-0) – who was promoted from Single-A Dunedin on July 30 – retired the first six batters of the game, the C’s took the lead for good on one swing of Harry’s bat. With two outs and the bases empty, Toronto’s return from Minnesota in the Trevor Richards swap launched a solo shot off Dust Devils righty Keythel Key (L, 0-1) for his first hit since joining the organization and his ninth home run at the level this year. He’s the third Vancouver hitter to homer in his debut with the club in 2024; Je’Von Ward went deep on June 15 and Jacob Sharp – part of the Yimi Garcia trade with Seattle – cracked a game-winning solo shot on Tuesday night.

With the Canadians in front 1-0 to start the third, Rogers looked every bit an ace over his next six stanzas. The Groves, TX native faced the minimum through the seventh, with the two singles he surrendered wiped away by double plays turned in the next at-bat. The only time Tri-City pressured the McNeese State product was in the eighth, when they used a one-out single, a steal plus throwing error and a walk to put runners on the corners with two outs. But Rogers – at 96 pitches through 7.2 frames – bore down and struck out his final hitter of the night for his career-high ninth punchout on his 99^th and final toss of the evening. His line: 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K. It was the first time since the C’s became the High-A affiliate of the Blue Jays that a Vancouver starter has gone eight complete.

Tri-City hurlers Key and Ryan Langford did their best to match Rogers’ effort. They held the Canadians to one run and allowed a combined five baserunners between the third and the seventh. Langford managed to strand runners at the corners with no outs in the seventh by striking out the next three hitters he faced to keep his side down by a run.

Vancouver obtained some much-needed insurance in the bottom of the eighth. Dasan Brown worked a one-out walk, Cutter Coffey doubled for the first time since coming over from Boston in the Danny Jansen deal and Peyton Williams cracked a wall-ball double to center field to plate a pair. After a pitching change and a flyout, Jackson Hornung’s team-high third hit of the night was a run-scoring two-bagger that put the C’s ahead 4-0.

Grayson Thurman came on for the ninth and worked around a one-out double to strand the potential shutout spoiler at third and secure the 4-0 win and a series split. The C’s have now tossed a franchise record and league-best 13 shutouts this year.

The Canadians can take the six-game set with a win tomorrow afternoon in the finale. Carson Pierce looks to continue his stretch of excellence for Vancouver opposite Tri-City’s Houston Harding. Start your day with C’s On Deck on Sportsnet 650 at 10:00 a.m. then tune in to RE/MAX Canadians Baseball starting at 1:05 p.m across the C’s Broadcast Network: Sportsnet 650 and Bally Live.