Canadians register walk-off win over AquaSox

Luis De Los Santos hit a walk-off sacrifice fly for the Vancouver Canadians on Sunday. Photo: Vancouver Canadians/Twitter

May 30, 2021

Official Vancouver Canadians News Release

HILLSBORO, OR – A sacrifice fly from Luis De Los Santos brought home the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth for the Vancouver Canadians on Sunday afternoon as the C’s took down the Everett AquaSox 2-1 to split the six-game set three games apiece.

Tied 1-1 entering the final frame, Spencer Horwitz laced the first pitch from Isaiah Campbell (L, 2-1) into left-centre field for a lead-off double. Ryan Gold advanced him to third base by grounding out to the right side before De Los Santos lifted a fly ball to centre that was deep enough to plate Horwitz and give Vancouver the victory.

The teams traded zeroes for the first six innings before both sides broke through in the seventh. Everett got on the board with a one-out double, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to lead 1-0, but the C’s answered in the home half. Back-to-back walks to Horwitz and Gold put two runners on before De Los Santos beat out a potential inning-ending double play to put runners on the corners with two outs. Up stepped Sebastian Espino, who flicked a broken bat single into centre field to score Horwitz and make it 1-1.

Right-hander Paxton Schultz was tremendous for the Canadians. The Orem, Utah native went six scoreless innings, scattered three hits, walked two and struck out a season-high eight, though he did not factor into the decision after AquaSox starter Juan Then matched Schultz’s effort with six scoreless stanzas of his own.

Hagen Danner (W, 2-1) earned the win in relief with a season-best three innings of work in which he allowed a run on one hit, walked one and struck out three.

Horwitz and Espino paced the offence with two hits apiece. The former scored twice and worked a walk while the latter collected an RBI.

After an off-day on Monday, Vancouver returns to Hillsboro’s Ron Tonkin Field on Tuesday as they welcome the Eugene Emeralds (Giants) to town for a six-game series. Right-hander Sean Wymer (0-1, 6.32 ERA) gets the nod for the C’s while the Emeralds have yet to name a starter. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.