Kirwer scores two in Canadians' 9-4 win
Sherwood Park Dukes alum Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) went 1-for-4 with two runs to help the Vancouver Canadians to a 9-4 win over the Spokane Indians on Friday. Photo: Vancouver Canadians
June 11, 2021
Official Vancouver Canadians News Release
SPOKANE, WA – A three-run first and a five-run fifth backed a solid outing from No. 9 Blue Jays prospect Adam Kloffenstein as the Vancouver Canadians took care of business with a 9-4 win over the Spokane Indians (Rockies) Friday night at Avista Stadium.
After getting shutout for just the second time this season in yesterday’s game, the C’s wasted no time scoring in this one. Consecutive walks started the game before Cameron Eden launched a three-run home run to left field that put Vancouver up 3-0.
Staked to a 3-0 lead before throwing a pitch, Kloffenstein (W, 2-3) turned in a sterling showing in which he allowed one run on three hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
The Canadians added to their lead with the second five-run inning of the series. Sebastian Espino started the fifth with a triple and scored on a Ronny Brito double. After an error brought Brito in, back-to-back singles from Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) and Phil Clarke loaded the bases before Eden worked a walk to force in a run. Tanner Morris followed with an RBI single before Ryan Gold made it 8-0 C’s with a sacrifice fly.
Kloffenstein – whose lone earned run scored in the bottom of the fifth on a hit batter, a walk and a double – passed the baton to Marcus Reyes, who hung a pair of zeroes in the sixth and seventh before Vancouver added an insurance run in the eighth thanks to two singles, an error and a Brito sacrifice fly that gave the Canadians a 9-1 advantage.
Justin Maese faced the minimum in the eighth before running into trouble in the ninth. The right-hander saw the first six batters of the bottom of the ninth reach base and three runs come across before Parker Caracci (S, 4) was called upon with the bases loaded, no outs and Vancouver up 9-4. The Jackson, Miss., native caught a line drive on the first pitch he threw and turned it into a 1-3 double play after the runner at first was caught off the bag. A ground out followed, and Vancouver emerged with a 9-4 win.
Eight of nine starters contributed either a hit, run, RBI or all three and a season-high seven different players crossed home plate. Eden paced the offence with four RBI and a run scored while Morris and Espino finished with two hits apiece. Kirwer and Clarke scored twice to go with their one hit and one walk each.
Vancouver and Spokane square up again on Saturday night. Right-hander Sam Ryan makes a spot start for the C’s while the Indians have named southpaw Nick Bush as their starter. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. and can be heard on Sportsnet 650.