Walk-Off Win Salvages Series With Spokane

VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians snatched victory from the jaws of defeat Sunday afternoon with a 7-6 walk-off win over the Spokane Indians [COL] in front of a sellout crowd at The Nat to avoid getting swept in their first series after the All-Star Break.

After Spokane scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth thanks to five hits and a walk, the C’s entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 6-5. Dasan Brown worked a lead-off walk before consecutive outs threatened to strand the tying run at first, but Brown would swipe second before Nick Goodwin worked the count full then took a free pass of his own.

Up stepped Brennan Orf, who quickly fell behind 1-2. The Wildwood, MO native fouled off a two-strike pitch then laced a double down the left field line; Brown raced home to tie the game and Goodwin got the wave to force a play at the plate. The throw from the cutoff man beat him by a step but the ball was jarred from the catcher’s mitt during the tag, Goodwin slid in safely and the C’s came out on top 7-6.

Spokane started the scoring with a run in the fourth, but a five-run sixth had the Canadians in front by their largest margin of the weekend before the late inning drama. That rally began with a hit by pitch, a steal plus throwing error, a walk and a game-tying single from Peyton Williams. Goodwin followed with an RBI double to dead centre before a sacrifice fly from Je’Von Ward and a two-run shot off the bat of Robert Brooks made it 5-1 Vancouver.

Starter Carson Pierce worked a season-long four innings, allowed one run on three singles, walked one and struck out two. Kai Peterson was perfect over two innings of relief and Johnathan Lavallee (W, 3-3) tossed 1.1 scoreless stanzas of relief to give the offense a chance to mount its comeback.

With the win, the Canadians miss getting swept at the hands of the Indians for the second time this year and wrap up their home slate against the Rockies affiliate with a 2-10 record. They’ll take on the Northwest League’s first half champion one more time this season when they visit Avista Stadium August 13-18 in what could be a Northwest League Championship Series preview.

After an off-day Monday, the C’s start a six-game series in Hillsboro Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. Catch RE/MAX Canadians Baseball all week long on Sportsnet 650.