C's Lose Late In NWLCS Game 1

VANCOUVER, BC – A run in the top of the ninth proved fatal for the Canadians in Game 1 of the Northwest League Championship Series, a 4-3 loss to the Spokane Indians [COL] at Rogers Field at The Nat.

Tied at three entering the final frame, Spokane used a one-out triple from Bryant Betancourt – who evened the score with a two-out solo shot in the seventh – and a single from number nine man Jose Cordova to grab their first lead of the night. The C’s put a man on base with a walk to start the home half, but three consecutive outs followed to hand Vancouver a series-opening defeat.

A two-run, four-hit fourth inning started the scoring for the Canadians. Jay Harry and Brennan Orf singled to put runners at the corners for Jacob Sharp, who lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home the game’s first run. Jace Bohrofen singled with two outs and Adrian Pinto cashed in with a run-scoring hit to make it 2-0.

Ryan Watson got the start and went four scoreless before a lead-off single in the fifth set the table for a game-tying blast from GJ Hill. It wasn’t tied for long; Jay Harry hit a sky-scraping two-out shot in the bottom of the inning to put the C’s back in front 3-2.

Watson went on to work 6.2 innings, scattered seven hits, allowed three runs, walked two and K’ed six. Alex Amalfi (L, 0-1) surrendered his lone run and three hits in the ninth after 1.1 scoreless frames of relief.

Despite the loss, the C’s will aim to even the series tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. #20 Blue Jays prospect Juaron Watts-Brown will toe the slab opposite Spokane’s Connor Staine. Catch RE/MAX Canadians Baseball across the C’s Broadcast Network: Bally Live and Sportsnet 650.