Rojas Dazzles, C's Hang On To Win 3-2

VANCOUVER, BC – A three-run first staked #11 Blue Jays prospect Kendry Rojas to an early lead that he protected for a career-high seven innings to lead the Canadians to a 3-2 win over the Eugene Emeralds [SF] in front of a sellout crowd at The Nat Friday afternoon.

After Rojas retired the side in order in the first, the C’s raced out to a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in the home half. With two runners in scoring position after a single, a fielder’s choice and a walk, Je’Von Ward laced a single past the drawn-in infield to start the scoring. He swiped second while Jace Bohrofen was at the plate, setting up a two-RBI single that made it 3-0 Vancouver.

Rojas kept dealing. He stranded singles in the second and third before surrendering a lead-off homer in the fourth, but he went on to set down the next 10 consecutive hitters before a one-out walk in the seventh. The Cuban lefty responded by getting the next two men to end the inning, which included his full season career-high tenth strikeout on his final pitch of the afternoon. Rojas’ line: 7.0 IP / 3 H / 1 R / 1 BB / 10 K.

Chay Yeager (H, 8) needed all of four pitches to face the minimum in the eighth before things got a little hairy in the ninth. Grayson Thurman (S, 6) – the most-used reliever in the Northwest League this year – overcame a lead-off single, two walks and a sacrifice fly to strand the tying and go-ahead runs on base and secure a 3-2 C’s win.

Ward and Bohrofen paced the offense with two hits apiece. The latter is now 9-for-19 with a double, a homer, four runs scored and 10 RBI in four games against Eugene this week. Peyton Williams matched a team high with a hit in his tenth consecutive game when he singled in his final at-bat of the afternoon.

With the win, the Canadians have assured themselves a series split with the Ems and are currently 2.5 games back of first place Spokane with 26 games – including six with the Indians – remaining in the second half. They are also attempting to hold off Hillsboro, who is 7-3 in the last 10 and now 4.5 games back of Vancouver for the second playoff spot. The C’s will visit the Hops for their final road trip of the year August 27 to September 1.

The series continues Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. Reigning Northwest League Pitcher of the Week Grant Rogers looks to repeat his performance from his C’s debut while Eugene counters with Dylan Carmouche. Coverage of RE/MAX Canadians Baseball is available across the C’s Broadcast Network: Bally Live and Sportsnet 650.