Hops pounce early, add on late to beat Canadians

Right-hander Sem Robberse allowed three runs on three hits in six innings for the Vancouver Canadians on Tuesday. Photo: Vancouver Canadians/Twitter

August 24, 2021

Official Vancouver Canadians News Release

HILLSBORO, OR – The Vancouver Canadians dropped game one of their six-game set with the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks), an 8-2 defeat on Tuesday night at Ron Tonkin Field.

Hillsboro led 3-0 after three innings thanks to a run in the first on a walk, a stolen base, a ground out and a sacrifice fly before Blaze Alexander hit a two-run homer in the third.

Despite the early deficit, Sem Robberse (L, 0-2) turned in his finest outing as a Canadian. The No. 13 Blue Jays prospect logged his first career quality start with six innings in which he allowed three runs on three hits, walked one and K’d four. He finished his outing by retiring the last 10 batters he faced.

The C’s got on the board in the fourth when Will Robertson slugged his third home run of the year to pull Vancouver within two, but a run in the seventh and four more in the eighth for the Hops put the proverbial nail in the coffin.

Three consecutive two-out singles in the top of the ninth helped the Canadians add a run to their line, but it was far from enough in an 8-2 loss that allowed the Hops to snap an eight-game losing streak.

Vancouver will look to even the series in a mid-week day game tomorrow afternoon. Paxton Schultz gets the ball for Vancouver while Marcos Tineo will go for Hillsboro. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.