HILLSBORO, OR – A furious ninth inning rally from the Hillsboro Hops (AZ) nearly ended in disaster for the Canadians Tuesday night, but the C’s hung on to win 9-8 to open this week’s series at Hops Ballpark.
Leading 9-4 to begin the bottom of the final frame, Vancouver saw the Hops chip away with three runs before the second out was recorded. Reliever Jonathan Todd (S, 7) entered the game with the score 9-7 and allowed an inherited runner to score and saw the bases load behind him before he induced a game-ending flyout to strand the tying and winning runs in scoring position.
Three big insurance runs scored for the Canadians in the top of the ninth. Eric Snow led off with a single and scored from first on a Peyton Williams double then Tucker Toman clubbed his career-best tenth home run later in the stanza, a two-out, two-run shot that made it 9-4 for what proved to be the game-winning swing.
Trailing 3-2 to begin the fifth, Vancouver would pull even in that inning when JR Freethy doubled and Jake Casey brought him in with a two-out single to make it 3-3.
Casey would cash in again his next time up in the seventh. With a man on and two away, the Pittsburgh native clobbered his third homer of the season to put the C’s in front for good. #18 Blue Jays prospect Edward Duran came up next and delivered a solo shot; back-to-back jacks had the Canadians in front 6-4.
The C’s started the scoring in the top of the first. With the bases loaded and two outs, a throwing error by Hillsboro’s catcher that hit the runner at third allowed the go-ahead run to score.
That lead lasted until the bottom of the first. The Hops used a lead-off walk and two doubles to go in front 2-1, though Vancouver would rally to even the score in the second. Alexis Hernandez and newcomer Jaxson West singled to put runners at the corners and a run-scoring double play followed to tie things up 2-2.
#13 Blue Jays prospect Silvano Hechavarria made his third start of the season and went four innings in which he allowed three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out two.
Vancouver sends #4 Blue Jays prospect Johnny King to the slope tomorrow night against fellow lefty Caden Grice. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. on the C’s Broadcast Network.