Brash leads AquaSox over Canadians

Right-hander Justin Maese pitched 1 1/3 in scoreless relief for the Vancouver Canadians on Wednesday. Photo: Vancouver Canadians/Twitter

June 30, 2021

Official Vancouver Canadians News Release

Everett, WA – Consecutive walks to start the ninth seemed primed to jumpstart a game-tying rally for the Vancouver Canadians but the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) managed to escape the frame to beat the C’s 2-1 Wednesday night at Funko Field.

Trailing 2-1 to start the last stanza, Ryan Gold and Spencer Horwitz both worked walks against closer Kyle Hill (S, 4) before a double play moved Gold to third with two outs. Rafael Lantigua battled with Hill before a fly out to centre field ended the game with the ‘Sox on top.

Everett took an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second. Zach Deloach tagged Adam Kloffenstein (L, 2-4) for a lead-off triple in the opening stanza then scored on a ground out before back-to-back free passes and a single from Cade Marlowe in the second doubled the AquaSox advantage.

Kloffenstein was otherwise solid in his four and two-thirds inning of work, though he did set a new season high with five walks. His counterpart Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) (W, 2-2) turned in his best outing of the year with six shutout innings in which he scattered four hits, walked two and struck out three.

The C’s scored their only run of the game in the top of the seventh. John Aiello, who made his season debut after spending the first seven weeks of the year on the Injured List – doubled to left, went to third on a balk and came in on a Lantigua ground out to make it 2-1, but that would be all the offense could muster after a 10-run, 13-hit performance in last night’s game.

Relievers Adrian Hernandez and Justin Maese combined on three and a third scoreless innings of relief after Kloffenstein’s exit in the fifth.

With the loss, the Canadians have now lost four consecutive games – a new season high – and are just two games above .500 for the first time since May 14, when they were 6-4.

Right-hander Luis Quinones (2-2, 2.38 ERA) gets the ball for Vancouver tomorrow in game three of the series as he tries to right the ship. He will be opposed by MLB.com’s No. 12 Mariners prospect Levi Stoudt (3-1, 2.90 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.