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Vinny Capra steps on home plate after hitting his second home run of the year Thursday.

C's RecapThe 2018 Vancouver Canadians did something the 2017 edition could not do – defeat the Hillsboro Hops at Nat Bailey Stadium. The C’s blanked the Hops 5-0 Thursday night after getting swept at home in a five-game set last season. The victory allowed Vancouver to reach .500 at 17-17 and move one game ahead of Tri-City after the Dust Devils lost to Eugene 7-3. However, Everett eviscerated Boise 17-2 to remain ahead of the C’s at 18-16. The Canadians need to win the division outright as Everett and Tri-City hold the tiebreakers for the first half title.

Vinny Capra had the icebreaker when he jumped on a 1-0 pitch from Adrian Del Moral and sent it to the porch in left field to start the fourth.

Vancouver Canadians Sterling Guzman

Sterling Guzman gets to the pentagon for Vancouver’s second run Thursday.

The C’s added to their lead in the fifth when Sterling Guzman drew a two-out walk, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle by McGregory Contreras.

Vancouver continued their offensive momentum in the sixth against Jake Winston when Capra and Otto Lopez heard ball four from the home plate umpire. Capra and Lopez executed a double steal and Capra would come in to score on a Yorman Rodriguez base rap up the middle. Lopez was cut down at the plate when Tra Holmes made the peg from center field to catcher and North York, Ontario native Andy Yerzy for the out.

The C’s got a second two-out run in the seventh when Contreras grounded one up the middle and scored on a Tanner Kirwer single and throwing error by Jake McCarthy in left field.

Vancouver got to Chester Pimentel for one more run in the eighth when Lopez singled to center. Pimentel’s errant pickoff throw sent Lopez to third before a wild pitch completed the 360-foot journey for Lopez.

Vancouver Canadians Sean Wymer

Sean Wymer struck out four over three shutout innings to get the victory in relief.

Joey Murray worked the first two innings before Sean Wymer came in for the next three and he was credited with the victory to improve to 2-2. Fitz Stadler also had a three-inning stint in his Nat Bailey Stadium debut before Connor Law finished things up in the ninth.

Vancouver Canadians Fitz Stadler

Fitz Stadler made his Nat Bailey Stadium debut a good one with two shutout innings.

Radar Gun Rundown

radar_gun_iconMurray was around 79-91 miles per hour while Wymer  had strikeouts at 85, 77, 79 and 79. His range was 76-93 that included curveballs at 76 and 78.

Stadler handled a comebacker on his first pitch of the game, a fastball at 90. He had strikeouts at 85, 84, 83 and 87. He was able to throw strikes with what appeared to be his slider. Law finished up in the mid-90’s.

Vancouver Canadians Joey Murray

Joey Murray still has a 0.00 earned run average for Vancouver this season.

C-Notes

C's NotesMurray ran his scoreless string to 12 innings to start the season but Hillsboro came awfully close to snapping it. The Kent State Golden Flashes product retired the first five men he faced but a McCarthy single and a pair of walks to Francisco Martinez and Ryan January loaded the bases. A visit by Vancouver pitching coach Jim Czajkowski resulted in Murray throwing an offspeed pitch at 79 miles per hour for a first-pitch strike after leaning on his fastball quite a bit. Murray continued with offspeed offerings of 80 and 82 before hitting 87 and 91 on the radar gun. It all resulted in Lynch grounding out into fielder’s choice at second to end the inning.

Second baseman Nick Podkul made a nice diving stop to his left to rob Jorge Perez in the third inning. Podkul also contributed with thte glove in the fourth when he handled a wide throw from Jesus Severino at third after a ground ball by Joey Rose. Podkul stretched his leg to stay on the second base bag for the force out of a Yerzy single before trying to turn a double play to get Rose.

Tanner Kirwer robbed Holmes of a hit to end the fifth with a diving catch in center field on a sinking liner.

The C’s had a chance to score in the third when Guzman doubled to center and tagged up to go to third on a Contreras fly ball. Kirwer lined out to third where Rose made the unassisted double play to catch Guzman off the third base bag.

Contreras had a two-hit night while Capra, Lopez and Guzman had a knock and a walk apiece. Rodriguez and Kirwer also singled while Podkul earned a base on balls. Only Griffin Conine was held off the scoresheet as he went 0-for-4. He hit a ball right on the screws to start the second inning but he lined out to left. The C’s had seven hits and five walks against seven strikeouts. Vancouver was 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and five men left on base.

Murray and Law struck out one while Wymer and Stadler whiffed four and Law to give the C’s pitching staff a 10-3 strikeout/walk total with Murray walking two and Stadler walking one.

There are four Canadian-born players taking part in this series. Catcher Andy Yerzy hails from North York, Ontario and righthander Jake Polancic of Langley, BC are on the Hillsboro roster. Vancouver has outfielder Tanner Kirwer from Sherwood Park, Alberta native along with righthander Will McAffer from North Vancouver, BC.

The C’s and Hops play again Friday afternoon in a 1:05 pm start. Juan Nunez (0-1, 2.93) is slated to make his second start of the season for Vancouver. Jackson Goddard (0-2, 13.50)—Arizona’s third round pick in this year’s draft out of Kansas—gets the call for Hillsboro.

The game can be heard on CanadiansBaseball.com and Bloomberg Radio on AM 1410 in Vancouver with Rob Fai.

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Published by Niall O'Donohoe

My name is Niall O’Donohoe and I am an avid follower of baseball. My blog beginnings began in 2007 with Batter’s Box under the alias #2JBrumfield. The blog formerly known as Niall On Baseball, C’s Plus Baseball strives to deliver plus coverage of the C’s through photos, observations and interviews of the players striving to make it to the major leagues. If you like what you see here, please spread the word about CsPlusBaseball.ca through your favourite social media platform. This blog began just before the C's championship season in 2017 and the goal is to deliver awesome content about Canada’s only affiliated professional minor league baseball club. Thanks a million for being here!

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