Eight-run first spoils Canadians' night
Ryan Gold had three hits and three RBIs for the Vancouver Canadians on Tuesday. Photo: Vancouver Canadians/Twitter
June 29, 2021
Official Vancouver Canadians News Release
EUGENE, OR – The Vancouver Canadians took on the high-powered Everett AquaSox (Mariners) Tuesday night and dropped a 15-10 slugfest in the first of six games this week at Funko Field.
Five consecutive Canadians reached base to start the game. Luis De Los Santos doubled and scored on a Tanner Morris two-bagger before Cameron Eden launched his fourth home run of the season to make it 3-0 C’s. Ryan Gold and Sebastian Espino added singles before the first out of the game was recorded, but Vancouver couldn’t push any more runs across.
Everett took the lead for good in the bottom of the first by sending 13 men to the plate and scoring eight runs – a single-inning high for the C’s pitching staff – on six hits with four walks. Starter CJ Van Eyk (L, 2-2) was bounced after the ninth batter of the inning and recorded just two outs while surrendering seven runs on four hits in his shortest outing since his pro debut on May 7.
Despite the early deficit, the Canadians were in the game until the seventh. They scored a run in the third on Gold’s fourth homer of the season before trailing 10-4 to start the fourth. In that frame, the Blue Jays sent all nine men to the dish and plated four runs on three hits. Singles from Phil Clark and De Los Santos plus a walk to Tanner Morris loaded the bases then Eden worked a free pass to force home the first run of the stanza. Gold drove a two-RBI double off the wall in right field and Sebastian Espino brought home a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 10-8.
The ‘Sox added a run in the fifth but the C’s responded in kind during the top of the sixth. Spencer Horwitz singled home Eden – who was hit by a pitch then stole second and third – to pull Vancouver back within two.
A four-run bottom of the seventh proved to be the deathknell for the Canadians, as the AquaSox scored three of those four runs with two outs to go up 15-9. Horwitz homered in the ninth but that would be it for Vancouver in a 15-10 loss.
Three home runs matched a single game high for the C’s offense this season. Gold led the way with three hits and finished a triple shy of the cycle while Eden tied a single game mark with three stolen bases.
Vancouver used five different pitchers and all but Alex Nolan allowed at least one run. The right-hander from Burlington, Ont. worked a scoreless eighth by stranding a couple of walks with no hits and a strikeout. Willy Gaston allowed one run on five hits across 2 1/3 innings pitched in what was his strongest showing of 2021.
With the loss, the Canadians have now been felled in three consecutive showings for the first time this season.
The second game of the series and the 14th of the year between these two teams is set for Wednesday night. No. 9 Blue Jays prospect (MLB.com) Adam Kloffenstein goes for the C’s while MLB.com’s No. 26 Mariners farmhand Matt Brash takes the ball for the ‘Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.