Late homer sinks Canadians

Phil Clarke had two hits and an RBI for the Vancouver Canadians on Saturday. Photo: Vancouver Canadians

July 17, 2021

Official Vancouver Canadians News Release

Hillsboro, OR – An eighth inning home run doomed the Vancouver Canadians Saturday night in a 4-3 loss to the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) at Ron Tonkin Field.

Spencer Brickhouse delivered the knockout blow. After Jorge Barrosa jumpstarted the Hops with an infield single to beat a shifted infield, Brickhouse sent a fly ball to left field that carried.... and carried... and carried before it landed in the bullpen to give Hillsboro their first lead of the game, a 4-3 advantage that proved to be the difference.

The Canadians hadn’t trailed all night. They started the scoring with a run in the first after Luis De Los Santos and Ryan Gold singled with two outs and were followed by a Phil Clarke RBI double that made it 1-0.

Hillsboro answered with a run in the bottom half thanks to a lead-off home run from Jorge Barrosa, but the C’s retook the lead in the third. Rafael Lantigua worked a walk and went to second on a Tanner Morris single. He proceeded to steal third before coming home on a passed ball to put Vancouver ahead 2-1.

Clarke led off the sixth with a single and made it to third on a pair of wild pitches. That set the table for an Eric Rivera RBI ground out to make it 3-1.

After giving up a run in the first, starter Adam Kloffenstein turned in his third consecutive start where he went five innings or longer. The right-hander made it through 5 2/3 innings and scattered two hits, walked three and struck out six; he was in line for his third consecutive win when he left the game in the sixth. Brandon Eisert came on with a runner on second after an error and a stolen base and surrendered a hang with ‘em RBI double that should have been caught but was lost in the lights before finishing the frame with the score 3-2.

Vancouver missed a chance to add on in the seventh when Lantigua – who had walked, went to second on a passed ball and to third on a fly out – tried to score on a ground ball against a drawn in infield and was cut down at the plate to keep it a one-run lead. The last nine C’s hitters of the game made an out before and after the decisive home run.

With their fourth consecutive loss, the Canadians are now a season-low three games under .500 and have dropped a series for the third time in four tries.

Clark led the way on offence with two hits, his second consecutive game with multiple knocks. Morris also finished with two hits.

The Canadians send Luis Quinones to the hill Sunday afternoon in the finale to try and salvage the series. Hillsboro has tabbed Blake Walston as their starter. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.