Walk-off walk ends Canadians' losing skid
Sebastian Espino had a home run and a walk-off walk for the Vancouver Canadians on Saturday. Photo: Vancouver Canadians/Twitter
July 24, 2021
Official Vancouver Canadians News Release
Hillsboro, OR – Sebastian Espino’s bases loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the 10th forced home the winning run as the Vancouver Canadians rallied to beat the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 7-6 Saturday night at Ron Tonkin Field.
The C’s plated two runs in the final frame and did so without a hit. With the placed runner on second and the AquaSox leading 6-5 after they doubled home their placed runner in the top of the inning, Ronny Brito walked and Rafael Lantigua was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Consecutive strikeouts had Vancouver on the ropes and down to their final strike before Will Robertson was plunked by a 1-2 pitch from Winnipeg, Man., native Ben Onyshko (L, 0-1) to bring home the tying score. Espino stepped up next and worked a full count before a breaking ball missed down and in to the right-handed batter to give the Canadians their fourth walk-off win of the year.
Vancouver trailed 4-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth before a four-run inning gave them their first lead of the night. Spencer Horwitz and Ryan Gold worked back-to-back one out walks then Phil Clarke singled home Horwitz to make it 4-2. Brito followed with a run-scoring single to bring the C’s within one before Eric Rivera grounded into a game-tying fielder’s choice that put runners at the corners with two outs. Up stepped Luis De Los Santos, whose swinging bunt up the third base line turned into a two-out RBI single that put the Canadians in front 5-4.
Everett tied it in the top of the ninth thanks to a one-out hit by pitch, a stolen base and a two-out RBI double from Patrick Frick to spoil what would have been Parker Caracci’s (W, 3-2) league-best eighth save of the season, but he limited the damage to send it to the bottom of the ninth with the game tied. The Canadians nearly won it in the home half of the inning after Ryan Gold’s one out double to the right field corner, but Spencer Horwitz – who was aboard after a fielder’s choice – was gunned down at the plate trying to score from first base.
The C’s got their first run of the night in the bottom of the opening frame after Espino launched a two-out solo blast to tie the game at one. Everett answered with a pair of runs in the second to lead 3-1 until the eighth.
Gold’s two hits and Espino’s two RBI paced the offence as all nine starters reached base at least once. Vancouver was plunked a season-high five times. The C’s finished the night 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
On the mound, reliever Sean Mellen was perfect for 3 1/3 innings and had four K’s in what was his finest outing of 2021. He was the only one of Vancouver’s four pitchers to not allow a run.
Paxton Schultz gets the ball for the Canadians Sunday afternoon in the series finale. He will be opposed by AquaSox right-hander Taylor Dollard.