Kirwer doubles, scores two in Canadians' loss

Sherwood Park Dukes grad Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) went 2-for-5 with two runs and a double for the Vancouver Canadians in their 6-5 loss to Eugene Emeralds on Wednesday. Photo: Vancouver Canadians

June 2, 2021

Official Vancouver Canadians News Release

HILLSBORO, OR – The Vancouver Canadians never led and fought back to tie the game on three separate occasions, but their last rally came up just short as the C’s fell 6-5 in 10 innings to the Eugene Emeralds (Giants) on Wednesday night at Ron Tonkin Field.

Trailing 6-5 in the bottom of the first extra inning, the C’s managed to move the placed runner to third with two outs before a sinking line drive off the bat of Sebastian Espino was caught on the run to hand Vancouver a second consecutive loss and their fifth in the last eight games.

The Canadians trailed from the outset. Eugene took advantage of three consecutive walks to start the top of the first by singling home a pair of runs to make it 2-0, but Vancouver would cleave the lead in half in the bottom of the frame. Tanner Morris – who didn’t double once in May before hitting his first two-bagger of the year in last night’s game – laced one into the corner in left to put himself in scoring position before an error moved him to third and a Spencer Horwitz sacrifice fly brought him home and set the score at 2-1.

Right-hander CJ Van Eyk worked through his first inning command issues to put up three consecutive zeroes before surrendering a run on two hits in the fifth that made it 3-1. All told, MLB.com’s No. 10 Blue Jays prospect worked five frames, allowed three runs on five hits, didn’t walk a batter from the second inning on and struck out three.

Trailing by two heading into the bottom of the sixth, the C’s used their temporary home to their advantage to start a game-tying rally. Morris knocked a line drive into centre field that took an unexpected hop off the rubberized synthetic turf and bounced over the head of centre fielder Javeyan Williams for a lead-off triple. After a Cameron Eden ground out brought Morris in to make it 3-2, Spencer Horwitz followed in Morris’ footsteps with a home-cooked triple of his own after a big bounce prompted Williams to lose his footing in center. Ryan Gold followed with an RBI double to tie the game 3-3.

A lead-off walk and a stolen base set the table for a go-ahead single from Eugene’s Patrick Bailey in the top of the seventh, but the Canadians rallied to tie the game for a second time in their turn at bat. Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) shot a one-out double just inside the first base line before stealing third and scoring on a Horwitz ground ball out that brought the score to 4-4.

The Emeralds answered with a solo home run from Jacob Gonzalez to retake a one-run lead in the eighth before the C’s came back for a third time in the bottom of the ninth. This time Kirwer led off with an infield single, stole second and went to third on a throwing error by the catcher during the steal attempt. Up stepped Morris, who used his third hit of the night to bring home the game-tying tally.

Eugene would score what proved to be the winning run in the top of the 10th when the placed runner stole third then scored on a passed ball to give the Giants affiliate a 6-5 edge they wouldn’t relinquish.

Morris paced the offence by matching a season-high with three hits and finished a home run shy of the cycle. He reached base in all five of his plate appearances thanks to a pair of walks. Kirwer and Gold notched two hits apiece and Horwitz ended the night with two RBI. The top five hitters in the order did all the heavy lifting; batters six through nine went a combined 0-for-17 with two walks.

On the mound, Justin Maese followed Van Eyk with three innings of relief in which he allowed a season-high two runs on two hits with one walk and five strikeouts while Parker Caracci (L, 2-2) got the tough-luck loss despite not allowing a hit over two innings of work.

Vancouver and Eugene go toe-to-toe again on Thursday night. Right-hander Luis Quinones (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the ball for the C’s while the Emeralds have tabbed righty Nick Avila (1-3, 6.75 ERA) as their starter. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.