Comeback Win Helps C's Take Series Over Hops
May 7, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Vancouver Canadians News Release
HILLSBORO, OR - Another tight game went Vancouver's way on Saturday, as the C's rallied from a one-run deficit in the eighth to tie the game then take the lead for good on a balk in the ninth to beat the Hillsboro Hops (D-Backs) 4-3 at Ron Tonkin Field. With the win, the Canadians secured their third series triumph of the season.
Trailing 3-2 to start the eighth, Alan Roden sparked the rally with a one-out double to left field. A walk put two men aboard, but a strikeout threatened to strand the tying run in scoring position. Up stepped Gabby Martinez, who rapped a single through the hole on the left side of the infield to score Roden from second and tie the game at three runs apiece.
After Matt Svanson (W, 1-0) set down the side in the bottom of the frame, Vancouver benefited from multiple mistakes from Hops reliever Jose Alcantara (L, 2-2). His first miscue was issuing a lead-off walk to Dasan Brown, who got to second on a Riley Tirotta infield single then stole third to put runners at the corners with one out. Alcantara's second mistake cost the Hops the game; he balked home Brown from third to put the C's in front 4-3.
Connor Cooke (S, 1) made short work of the Baby Snakes with a groundout and a pair of strikeouts in a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to secure the victory.
It was Martinez who started the scoring in the top of the fourth. Rainer Nunez reached via a single before Martinez doubled off newly inserted reliever Listher Sosa to make it 1-0. The C's scored an unearned run in the fifth after Tirotta's lead-off triple, a throwing error and a run-scoring fielder's choice that doubled Vancouver's advantage.
Hillsboro would score three unanswered runs before the Canadians rallied late. They spoiled the shutout in the fifth when they got to C's start Dahian Santos for an unearned run then took the lead with two runs on three hits in the seventh.
Santos - Toronto's #11 prospect - turned in his second consecutive solid showing after going five complete with three hits, one unearned run, three walks and five punch outs.
Seven starters contributed on offense and six had a hit, led by two-hit performances from Martinez and Tirotta. The former is now riding a five-game hitting streak and has racked up nine knocks this week.
The C's will look to wrap up the series on a high note on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. Hunter Gregory goes for Vancouver while Hillsboro has yet to name their starter. Coverage is available on CanadiansBaseball.com and the Sportsnet Radio Network.
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