Dazed and C's Lose: Vancouver Gives It Away Late
April 20, 2023 - Northwest League (NWL)
Vancouver Canadians News Release
EVERETT, WA - The first seven innings on Thursday morning at Funko Field were fast, crisp, and, for the Canadians, successful after they retook a one-run advantage in the fourth and proceeded to put up zeroes in the next four innings. But a dropped foul pop with one out and the bases empty in the last of the eighth proved to be the thread that would quickly become unraveled over the next four batters as the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) stunned the C's with a pair of unearned runs to steal a 4-3 win and grab the series lead.
After #9 Blue Jays prospect Adam Macko went four innings and allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and seven strikeouts, Vancouver got two scoreless innings from Abdiel Mendoza and another run-free frame from Juan Nunez. On came Conor Larkin (L, 0-1) for the eighth, and he promptly struck out #12 Mariners prospect Jonatan Clase. His next pitch was to top M's farmhand Harry Ford, who hit a weak pop fly towards the first base coaches box in foul ground. First baseman Rainer Nunez ranged over, camped underneath then began to backpedal while tracking the ball against an overcast sky. The ball would go in and out of Nunez's glove and instead of the second out of the inning, Ford got a second chance. He wasted no time, lining the next pitch to center for a single to put the tying run on base.
Alberto Rodriguez followed that up with an RBI double off the centerfield wall and moved to third on a bloop single from Tyler Locklear to put the go-ahead run 90 feet away. Larkin induced a ground ball from the next batter that Vancouver tried to turn for two but managed to only get one out, which allowed the eventual winning run to score on the play.
The C's went quietly in the ninth and fell to 5-3 on the year in a 4-3 loss. It was the first time the Canadians lost a game when leading in the eighth or later and their first defeat in a game decided by two runs or less.
Vancouver started the scoring in the top of the first with a lead-off double from Alan Roden and an RBI single from Nunez, who has now driven in six runs in the series and has a share of the team lead in that category. Alex De Jesus doubled in the next at-bat and Josh Kasevich plated Nunez with a sac fly.
Macko surrendered single runs in the first and second but finished his outing by retiring the final seven batters he faced, including five straight Ks to end his day.
Riley Tirotta sparked the go-ahead rally in the fourth with a two-out double and scored when Jommer Hernandez plated him with a single. Hernandez is also tied for the team lead with six RBI.
The C's send southpaw Trenton Wallace (1-0, 0.00 ERA) to the hill on Friday night to try to even the series at two games apiece. Everett counters with right-hander Reid Morgan. First pitch from Funko Field is slated for 7:05 p.m. and coverage is available via CanadiansBaseball.com, the MiLB app and the Sportsnet Radio Network.
Northwest League Stories from April 20, 2023
- Viñeros Victorious Over Indians - Tri-City Dust Devils
- Today's Emeralds Game Postponed with a Double-Header Scheduled for April 22 - Eugene Emeralds
- Sox Win 4-3 Nail Biter with 8th Inning Rally - Everett AquaSox
- Dazed and C's Lose: Vancouver Gives It Away Late - Vancouver Canadians
- Short Outing Wasted in 1-0 Loss to Ems - Hillsboro Hops
- Ems Win 2nd Straight Against Hops - Eugene Emeralds
- Fluharty, Brock Hold the Line in C's Triumph - Vancouver Canadians
- AquaSox Win Streak Comes to and End - Everett AquaSox
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