Winning Streak Ends On Canada Day

VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians brought the potential winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but came up just short Monday afternoon in a 5-4 loss to the Everett AquaSox [SEA] in front of a sellout crowd at The Nat. The loss was Vancouver’s first of the second half and snapped their win streak at a franchise record-tying nine straight.

Down a run to start the last of the ninth, a one-out walk and a wild pitch put the tying run at second but a flyout and a walk ended the threat and handed the Frogs a series opening victory.

A hot start made it seem as though the C’s were going to cruise to another win. They plated three runs in the bottom of the first thanks to three hits – including consecutive two-out RBI singles from Je’Von Ward and Jeff Wehler – and a pick-off error that gave them an early 3-0 lead.

But the AquaSox, who lead the Northwest League in home runs this year, punched right back in the top of the second. Clean-up man Jared Sundstrom took Canadians starter Lazaro Estrada (L, 2-3) deep on the second pitch of the stanza then Caleb Cali added a single before Estrada got consecutive outs. A two-out error on the infield prolonged the inning for number nine batter Axel Sanchez, who launched a 398-foot homer to left field on the first pitch of the at-bat to put Everett ahead 4-3. All three runs that scored on his homer were unearned.

A solo shot from Hunter Fitz-Gerald in the fifth was the third Frogs big fly of the afternoon – the first time all season Vancouver coughed up three homers in one game – to make it 5-3 Mariners affiliate.

The C’s were baffled for most of the middle innings. They put just three runners on base between the second and the seventh before cutting the deficit to one in the eighth. Peyton Williams worked a one-out walk, Nick Goodwin hit a rule book double and a two-out miscue by the ‘Sox allowed a run to score to make it 5-4.

Aaron Munson and Conor Larkin each tossed two scoreless innings of relief, with the latter racking up five strikeouts to give the Canadians pitching staff a season-high 17 punchouts after Estrada K’ed nine to match his personal best this year and Munson struck out three.

Goodwin was the lone C’s hitter to record multiple knocks while Brown and Dylan Rock reached two times each.

With the loss, the Canadians fall to 6-13 in the last 19 Canada Day games. Their 9-1 record is still the best start to any half in franchise history.

Game two of the series is tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Pat Gallagher looks to lead the C’s back into the win column while Ty Cummings will toe the slab for Everett. Catch RE/MAX Canadians Baseball across the C’s Broadcast Network: Sportsnet 650 and Bally Live.