Seventh Inning Rally Spurs C's To Victory

VANCOUVER, BC – Two runs in the bottom of the seventh helped the Vancouver Canadians come from behind to beat the Spokane Indians (Rockies) 6-5 on Wednesday night at Nat Bailey Stadium to even the six-game series at one win apiece.

Trailing 5-4 at the stretch after Spokane broke a 4-4 tie with a run in the top of the seventh, the C’s put the tying run on base to start the home half of the inning after Harry Ray worked a leadoff walk. Addison Barger walked two batters later to put two on for Surrey, BC native Dam Palmegiani, who singled back up the middle to score Ray, move Barger to third and tie the game 5-5. Up stepped Zach Britton, who cracked a fly ball to the warning track in center for a sacrifice fly that scored Barger and put the C’s in front.

Ryan Boyer (W, 2-0) – who inherited two on with two outs and the Canadians trailing by a run in the seventh and got out of the inning with some help from an outfield assist at the plate courtesy of Mack Mueller – set down the side in order in the eighth and Will McAffer (S, 3) logged a perfect ninth to secure the win.

Vancouver got off to a hot start to grab an early lead. They scored three first inning runs off Tony Locey – who entered the game with the league’s second-lowest ERA – thanks to a lead-off homer from Steward Berroa and RBI hits from Miguel Hiraldo and Mack Mueller then plated a run in the second on a walk, a double and a sacrifice fly to lead 4-0 after two.

Toronto's #22 prospect Chad Dallas cruised through three scoreless before allowing two runs on two hits and a walk in the fourth then seemed poised to set himself up for the win after inducing a one-out ground ball with a man on first in the top of the fifth. The grounder went to the shortstop, who tagged second then threw to first for what would have been an inning-ending double play but instead turned into a fielder’s choice after the throw went in and out of the first baseman’s glove. That opened the door for a Zac Veen RBI triple and a game-tying single from Drew Romo – the league’s top hitter – in the next at-bat. Dallas bounced back to finish his night by striking out #21 Rockies prospect Grant Lavigne to keep the score tied at four.

Mueller’s two hits and a walk paced the offense while five different C’s hitters tallied an RBI. Four of nine starters reached base multiple times.

With the win, the Canadians improved to 3-2 in the second half of the season. They’re 16-16 at Nat Bailey Stadium this year.

Vancouver and Spokane go head-to-head in game three of the series tomorrow night for Throwback Thursday featuring a special Canada Day Eve postgame fireworks extravaganza. Right-hander Abdiel Mendoza makes a spot start for the C’s opposite Spokane southpaw Evan Shawver. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. with coverage on CanadiansBaseball.com, MiLB.TV and the Sportsnet Radio Network.