Kirwer's leadoff HR helps Canadians to seventh straight win
Sherwood Park Dukes alum Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) had a home run and scored two runs for the Vancouver Canadians on Wednesday to help them to their seventh straight win. Photo: Vancouver Canadians
May 19, 2021
Official Vancouver Canadians News Release
HILLSBORO, OR – A three-run fifth spurred the Vancouver Canadians to a 6-1 win over the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) Wednesday night as the C’s won their seventh consecutive game to move into a tie for first place in the High-A West League.
After trading blows in the first, Vancouver and Hillsboro were locked in a 1-1 tie to start the fifth. After two quick outs, Hops starter Ryne Nelson (L, 0-1) issued a walk to Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) after retiring 13 of the last 14 batters he faced. Up stepped Phil Clarke, who laced a double into the corner in right field to score Kirwer from first and put the Blue Jays affiliate up 2-1. After a pitching change, Cameron Eden greeted the new reliever with his first Advanced-A home run, a 420-foot blast that plated a pair and gave the C’s a 4-1 advantage.
Right-hander Troy Miller (W, 2-0) continued to impress in what was his third start of the year. Miller didn’t have his best stuff but still limited Hillsboro to a single run on two hits in five innings pitched. He worked around five walks and struck out four to earn the win.
The C’s added single runs in the sixth and ninth to pad their lead. Luis De Los Santos was hit by a pitch in the sixth stanza and scored on a DJ Neal single to left field, while Neal started the ninth with a rule book double to left and came home later in the frame on a bang-bang play at the plate after Kirwer dribbled one out in front of the batter’s box.
Lazaro Estrada and Justin Maese handled the final four innings after Miller’s departure. The former made his C’s debut with two shutout frames while the latter faced seven batters in the final two stanzas to secure the win.
Kirwer kick-started the offence with a lead-off home run on the second pitch of the game, his team-high fourth of the year and the first time a Canadians lead-off batter has left the yard in the first inning.
Spencer Horwitz extended his on-base streak to 13 consecutive games with a pair of walks and a double. He has recorded a hit in a team-high seven straight appearances. Neal logged his first multi-hit game of the season.
The Battle for the ‘Boro continues tomorrow night. No. 10 Blue Jays prospect (MLB.com) CJ Van Eyk gets the nod for Vancouver while Hillsboro has penciled in right-hander Bryce Jarvis. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at Ron Tonkin Field.