Carpe Diem: Canadians Seize NWL 1st-Half Title
Published on June 18, 2023 under Northwest League (NWL)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
The Vancouver Canadians earned a playoff spot in the sweetest way possible, on their home field in front of a packed house.
The Canadians scored four runs in the second inning, capped by a three-run home run by native son Dasan Brown on their way to a 5-1 win over the Hillsboro Hops Sunday afternoon in front of a third consecutive sell-out at Nat Bailey Stadium.
With the win, the C's clinched a return engagement in the Northwest League championship series, improving to 36-26 on the season.
The Hops' lone run came in the fourth inning on an Ivan Melendez solo home run to left of C's starter Kevin Miranda, his team-leading 12th of the season.
Miranda and four other Vancouver hurlers combined on a three-hitter as the Canadians took five out of six for the second time against the Hops this season. Former Arizona State Sun Devil Cooper Benson (5-0) got credit for the win, allowing no hits or runs over two innings with four strikeouts and two bases on balls.
The C's led off the second inning with back-to-back singles off Hops starting pitcher Yilber DIaz (1-5). One out later, Josh Kasevich grounded a single up the middle to plate Cade Doughty. On the very next Diaz pitch, Brown, a native of Oakville, Ontario, launched his fourth home run of the season over the Vancouver bullpen to give the Blue Jays farmhands all the offense they would need.
What few base runners the Hops mustered on this day didn't last long as Vancouver turned four double plays to tie a Hops single-game record for an opponent. The final twin-killing was the most impressive as right fielder Garrett Spain, a notorious Hops nemesis, made a leaping catch at the wall and gunned down Shane Muntz as he tried to return to first, ending a seventh inning that began with the Hops' third consecutive leadoff walk. Not once did they advance the runner to second.
Kasevich finished with a pair of hits and Michael Turconi doubled twice. Five Hillsboro pitchers combined to walk only three batters, matching a series low. Diaz didn't walk a man over his four innings, striking out four while allowing six hits and four earned runs. The Hops averaged fewer than four walks per game over the final five games of the series after walking ten in the series opener Tuesday. No Hillsboro batter reached base more than once.
The Hops return to Hillsboro to open a six-game home series at Ron Tonkin Field against the Seattle Mariners' NWL affiliate Everett AquaSox on Tuesday night, preparing for the league's second-half reset, when everyone's record returns to 0-0 on June 23. Pregame airtime is at 6:50 p.m. with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.
Northwest League Stories from June 18, 2023
- Carpe Diem: Canadians Seize NWL 1st-Half Title - Hillsboro Hops
- C's Clinch First Half Crown with 5-1 Win - Vancouver Canadians
- Sox Burst Dust Devils' Bubble with 7-1 Win - Everett AquaSox
- Big Inning for AquaSox Dooms Dust Devils - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Emeralds Win 4th Straight Against Spokane - Eugene Emeralds
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