Nick Podkul did not come up with the ball when Jonathan Sierra slid into second after a wild pitch in the sixth inning but Podkul did come up with the biggest hit of the game against Eugene Sunday.
The Vancouver Canadians clinched a series win over the Eugene Emeralds by scoring eight unanswered runs in their last three at-bats to give them an 8-1 triumph at Nat Bailey Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The first run of the game did not come until the sixth inning when the Emeralds staged a two-out rally against Josh Winckowski. Jonathan Sierra singled up the middle and got to second on a wild pitch. Levi Jordan flared a ball down the right field line to score Sierra.
Christopher Bec (#3) is greeted by Griffin Conine after scoring on a bases-clearing double by Nick Podkul in the sixth.
The C’s were shut down by Emeralds starter Eury Ramos for the first five innings but found reliever Yan De La Cruz more to their liking when he took over in the sixth. Griffin Conine grounded one up the middle with one out and Bryan Lizardo followed with a walk. A two-out walk to Christopher Bec loaded the bases for Nick Podkul. The Notre Dame product was behind in the count at 1-2 after De La Cruz got him to chase a curveball. It was on a 2-2 pitch when Podkul pulled a double to left field to score Conine, Lizardo and Bec to give Vancouver a 3-1 lead.
My pre-game #statoftheday at the #vancouvercanadjans game – Nick Podkul hitting .462 vs today’s opponent (Eugene Emeralds) going into the contest. And wouldn’t you know it – Podkul delivers a three-run double in the 6th to erase a 1-0 deficit. #clutch #AtTheNat pic.twitter.com/55vj1E5f7R
— K.P. Wee (@kpwee1) July 30, 2018
Tanner Kirwer is safe at home with Vancouver’s fourth run against Eugene Sunday.
Mitch Stophel took over for De La Cruz in the seventh and walked Tanner Kirwer with one out. Kirwer then stole second and third base before sliding home on an Otto Lopez sacrifice fly to right to give the C’s a 4-1 lead. Kirwer showed off his speed as Lopez’s fly ball was medium depth at best. A big fly from Jake Brodt put the game away for Vancouver in the eighth.
Stophel ran into more trouble in the eighth when he issued walks to Jesus Severino and Podkul around a Bec base hit to right. Jake Brodt stepped up and clobbered a grand slam in the parking lot in left-center field to give the C’s a converted touchdown lead. Stephen Ridings was called in to get the last two outs of the inning. Fitz Stadler pitched a scoreless eighth inning after taking over for Winckowski and Denis Diaz put up a goose egg in the ninth to wrap this one up. The C’s improved to 4-2 in the second half with their third straight win over Eugene Sunday.
Radar Gun Rundown
Winckowski had strikeouts at 87, 95, 84 and 88 miles per hour.
Stadler had one strikeout at 93.
Diaz was clocked in the low 90’s.
Josh Winckowski pitched seven innings to pick up his third victory of the season.
C-Notes
Derek Casey was listed as the probable starter for Eugene Sunday but Ramos got the call instead. He set down the first seven hitters he faced before Brodt reached on an error in the third by Luis Diaz at third. Ramos then plunked Kirwer in the hand. Ramos struck out six and allowed just three hits over five innings.
Griffin Conine slides into third but is tagged out by Luis Diaz in the fourth.
Conine had the first hit against Ramos when he lined a double to right field but he was thrown out at third on a 9-4-5 play to start the fourth. Lizardo and Bec later singled that inning before Ramos got Podkul to line out to left for the final out.
Josh Winckowski had to work his way out of trouble in the first after Luke Reynolds singled to left and Jake Slaughter singled to right before Lizardo charged a grounder at third to retire Sierra to end the frame.
Winckowski got a 6-4-3 double play grounder from Caleb Knight to wipe out a Jordan leadoff single to get out of the second. He navigated his way around a Reynolds leadoff single in the fourth but his biggest escape came in the fifth. Diaz doubled to left and got to third on a Knight groundout to second. Luis Vazquez hit a comeback to Winckowski and he threw it home where Bec stood up Diaz at the plate and applied the tag to keep the game scoreless. Fernando Kelli singled up the middle but Winckowksi got Grant Fennell on a swinging bunt where Bec threw him out to get out of that jam.
Winckowski had two more defensive plays of note turned behind him to end the seventh. Jesus Severino stayed with a tricky hop at short to retire Vazquez before Kirwer retired Kelli with a nice running catch in right.
Bec and Conine turned in the two-hit games for Vancouver while Lizardo singled and walked. Kirwer also reached base on a base on balls and a hit by pitch while stealing bases 18 and 19 on the year. Severino and Hunter Steinmetz reached base on a walk. Only Lopez was kept off the bases. The C’s had seven hits, six walks and a hit by pitch while striking out eight times. They were 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position with six men left aboard.
Winckowksi gave up one run on nine hits but did not walk a batter over seven innings and struck out four to improve to 3-4. Stadler gave up a hit and a walk and struck out one in the eighth. Diaz walked one and struck out one in the ninth.
The C’s and Em’s play again Monday night at 7:05 pm at Nat Bailey Stadium. Lefthander Elio Silva (2-1, 3.67) gets the starting assignment for Vancouver against Riley Thompson (0-2, 5.14). The game is available on CanadiansBaseball.com and TSN 1040 with Rob Fai. Pregame show is set for 6:00 pm.
Former New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Mookie Wilson will be at the game to sign autographs on the first base side of the concourse. The first 1,000 fans through the doors will receive a Mookie Wilson baseball card.
C-Tweets
Bumped into some #Amigos at the @vancanadians game this afternoon ⚾️📸 #McGregoryContreras #JuanNuñes #SterlingGuzman #ElioSilva @UnderK9 covering for #UnderDogProductions @RobFaiNation @SharleneCanning @CunninghamJordy @donsvoice pic.twitter.com/54WJvhfHhv
— Jorge Parra (@UnderK9) July 30, 2018
2014-15 Canadians Pitcher @ryan_borucki will take the mound today for @BlueJays vs his hometown team the @whitesox!
Good luck Ryan and we’ll be cheering you on from Vancouver! pic.twitter.com/FWHbpniODm
— Vancouver Canadians (@vancanadians) July 29, 2018
“I have never once seen him intimidated pitching to major league hitters.” – Buck Martinez on #BlueJays‘ Ryan Borucki pic.twitter.com/0JJ8j3Z1IV
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 25, 2018
Congrats to CCB Alumni – Troy Miller (Michigan University) on signing his professional contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. pic.twitter.com/Gm1bdMXzK0
— Calif. Club Baseball (@CalClubBaseball) July 25, 2018
Going to miss this guy as well as his family! Great teammate better human. Always admired his work ethic and passion he brought when he was on the mound ✌🏼 https://t.co/mRoH8YYiD3
— Kevin Pillar (@KPILLAR4) July 28, 2018
CANADIANS: Time to buckle down, work hard & bring another moment like this to Vancouver… #oneforthethumb pic.twitter.com/zxRhhsDDlx
— Rob Fai (@RobFaiNation) July 28, 2018
That was the best Dany had looked all year! He was throwing 96 with some sink and a big hammer curveball! https://t.co/y2Bifxjx5C
— Dante De Caria⚾ (@Diamond_Dante) July 28, 2018
Good morning, #BlueJays fans.
After another impressive outing, @MStrooo6 now owns a 2.99 ERA since his return. pic.twitter.com/5MznLLIsKn
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 28, 2018
CANADIANS: Tonight’s starter RHP Jose Espada ready to take on the Eugene Emeralds @vancanadians pic.twitter.com/UWHhvy9ACa
— Rob Fai (@RobFaiNation) July 28, 2018
@LansingLugnuts has class act athletes! Look at Chavez Young autographing a ball for my daughter! He entertained, talked and made her day. pic.twitter.com/tS1MIbhKkg
— Jen Kap (@JenLynKap) July 28, 2018
He really is! He saw how excited she was, jumped with her, brought her candy, just an amazing person. What a role model @chavezyoung242 is!
— Jen Kap (@JenLynKap) July 28, 2018
Wow that guy is so amazing! This was him with my daughter a couple months ago! Love him! pic.twitter.com/eRQqoahYae
— Aaron Emerson (@aaron_emerson09) July 28, 2018
God Bless🙏🏽 https://t.co/usMZOJJavW
— Chavez Young (@chavezyoung242) July 28, 2018
Sean Reid-Foley is schedule to start for the AAA Buffalo Bisons at 6:05 ET tonight. Candidate to be scratched and join the #BlueJays, though it would be ahead of his expected timeline.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) July 27, 2018
Talking with #BlueJays Pitching Coordinator about some of their pitching prospects and about his career!
Listen: https://t.co/CsVfFmfeul
— Dante De Caria⚾ (@Diamond_Dante) July 27, 2018
It’s an Around the Nest Friday!
First, from last week: our favorite promotions, going in-depth on Cavan Biggio, Dom Abbadessa and Rafael Lantigua, and the Lugnuts’ weird game-tying loss.
Soundcloud: https://t.co/jk6PPUx5WD pic.twitter.com/2NEEr0ZvTi
— Around The Nest (@AroundNest) July 27, 2018
I’m fascinated by how Top Prospect lists change over time.
Here, for instance, are MLB Pipeline’s last three updates of the Blue Jays’ Top 30 Prospects list:
(I attempted to bold every name showing up for the first time.) pic.twitter.com/3eZXiDBqDs
— Jesse Goldberg-Strassler (@jgoldstrass) July 26, 2018