Career Night for Stanifer, Triple Play Lead C's to Win
Published on August 14, 2025 under Northwest League (NWL)
Vancouver Canadians News Release
SPOKANE, WA - Gage Stanifer worked his longest outing as a professional and the Canadians turned a triple play as part of Wednesday night's 6-5 win over the Spokane Indians [COL] at Avista Stadium.
After the C's scored a run without a hit in the top of the first, Stanifer (W, 2-5) gave up an unearned run in the home half after two singles and an error set up a run-scoring groundout. But the right-hander limited the damage by retiring the next two hitters to keep the game tied 1-1.
He would trade zeroes with Spokane starter and #9 Rockies prospect Griffin Herring until the Indians went to the bullpen to begin the fifth. Bryce Arnold greeted Hunter Mann (L, 2-5) by working a walk then raced home on an opposite field double from JR Freethy, who went to third on the throw to the plate. Eddie Micheletti Jr. followed that up with an RBI single past the drawn-in infield to make it 3-1 Vancouver.
Stanifer coughed up a solo homer to begin the bottom of the fifth, but that would be the only other run he would allow. In the first quality start of his career, the 21-year-old went six complete, scattered eight hits, issued one walk and K'ed four to earn the win.
Jay Harry hit a two-run bomb in the top of the sixth to increase the lead to three then a pivotal unearned run scored in the top of the seventh. A lead-off error, a hit batter, a fly out and a run-scoring fielder's choice put the Canadians in front 6-2 at the stretch.
The first triple play in High-A franchise history came in the bottom of the seventh. Spokane seemed to have sparked a rally with a walk and a single to put runners at the corners and the tying run on deck. But a bouncer back to reliever Aaron Munson started a 1-6-3-2 double play where Munson connected with shortstop Arjun Nimmala, who then threw to first baseman Carter Cunningham, who threw home to catcher Edward Duran when the lead runner tried to score.
Had the C's not converted the triple play, the bottom of the ninth could have proved fatal. Leading 6-2, consecutive walks and an infield fly that wasn't caught put runners at second and third with one away. Another walk loaded the bases, which brought lefty Javen Coleman (S, 2) into the game. He gave up a single to the first batter he faced, but a baserunning blunder at second base saw the throw into the infield turn into the second out of the stanza. Another RBI single followed to cut the lead to one and bring the winning run to the plate, but Coleman induced a game-ending pop out to secure the win.
With the victory, the Canadians have won the season series over Spokane. The six-game set this week continues tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m.
Northwest League Stories from August 14, 2025
- Torin Homers, Bullpen Closes Door in 5-4 Hillsboro Win - Hillsboro Hops
- AquaSox Fall to Hops 5-4 - Everett AquaSox
- No Joke, the Final Score: Dust Devils 19, Emeralds 18 (11 Innings) - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Emeralds Lose 19-18 in 11 Innings against Tri-City - Eugene Emeralds
- Career Night for Stanifer, Triple Play Lead C's to Win - Vancouver Canadians
- Belyeu Shines for Spokane in Loss to Canadians - Spokane Indians
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