The Vancouver Canadians are now on a four-game losing streak after an 8-3 defeat at the hands of the Everett AquaSox at Ron Tonkin Field Friday.
Vancouver starter Adam Kloffenstein got into trouble right away in the first inning, loading the bases with walks to Jack Larsen and Cade Marlowe with a Patrick Frick single in between. Kloffenstein struck out Tyler Keenan swinging for the first out but Jake Anchia tagged him for a grand slam to left-center field to give Everett a 4-0 lead. A throwing error by Tanner Morris at short allowed Dariel Gomez to get on base. After a Connor Hoover strikeout, Kloffenstein was dinged by a triple to center from Joseph Rosa to score Gomez with the Frogs fifth run.
The troubles for Kloffenstein continued in the second inning thanks to another leadoff walk to Larsen. A two-out walk by Keenan spelled the end of the night for Kloffenstein. Alex Nolan entered the game and allowed both runners to score on an Anchia double. Anchia would come around to score on a Gomez double to provide the AquaSox with an eight-run advantage.
Vancouver finally put something together against Everett starter Tim Elliott in the seventh inning as Elliott hit Will Robertson and Philip Clarke with a pitch to start the frame. Davis Schneider walked with one out to load the bases to force Elliott’s exit from the game. Bryan Pall struck out D.J. Neal looking for the second out but Zac Cook burned Pall for a two-run single to center to score Robertson and Clarke.
The C’s got the final run of the game in the eighth inning. A Spencer Horwitz walk with one out was followed by a Robertson base hit to right. Pall struck out Clarke swinging for the second out before giving way to Kyle Hill on the hill. Eric Rivera greeted the new AquaSox hurler with a single up the gut to drive in Horwitz.
C-Notes
The C’s tried to climb out of an early hole in the bottom of the second. Horwitz worked a leadoff walk and advanced to second when Robertson blooped a base hit to left. Rivera then walked to load the bases with one away. Schneider was called out on the infield fly rule after a pop up to third and Neal grounded into a force out to leave the bases loaded.
Horwitz tried to ignite another rally in the fourth with a leadoff walk but he was forced out at second on the front end of a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Clarke to end the inning.
The seventh saw Cook get aboard with a leadoff walk but he remained anchored to first base on three consecutive fly ball outs.
Robertson had the lone two-hit night for Vancouver and reached base thrice after taking one for the team. Horwitz also got aboard three times with a hit and two walks. Cook and Rivera got on base twice with a base hit and a base on balls.
For the third time in this series, Vancouver could only muster five hits while drawing five walks. Vancouver went down in order in all odd-numbers innings save for a two-run seventh, getting just two hits in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position, stranding eight.
Kloffenstein threw 51 pitches and could not get the final out of the second inning. He was charged with six earned runs out of seven on three hits and four walks. He struck out two and got three of his four outs in play on the ground.
Nolan allowed two Kloffenstein runners to score but limited the Frogs to a run over 4-1/3 innings on four hits, striking out one. He divided his eight outs in play evenly on the ground and in the air.
Connor Law scattered a hit and three walks over two shutout frames by striking out five and Cobi Johnson walked a batter and struck out two in a scoreless ninth.
The 32-38 Canadians are now tied for third place in the High-A West standings with Spokane and are only ahead of Hillsboro by one game. Last place Tri-City has now appeared in the C’s rear-view mirror at 4-1/2 games back. Unless there is a dramatic reversal of fortunes, the High-A West championship final will be brought to you by the letter ‘E’ with Everett and Eugene running away from the pack.
C’s broadcaster Tyler Zickel commented during the series that the AquaSox have had the C’s number, all seven digits. Actually, the Frogs have had the Canadians area code and PIN number too as they have won 15 times against Vancouver this year against seven losses.
The worst part is for Vancouver is that there are still 14 more games to go in the season series. The AquaSox’s mastery over the Canadians has been going on since 2019 when they won 14 out of 18 games that season. Vancouver may want to lobby for a balanced schedule next year in which it would face all five teams 24 times apiece instead of having to play Everett 36 times and only facing Tri-City 12 times.
Brian Rapp is up next for the Canadians as he makes his first appearance on the mound in nine days. Everett has not announced a starter as of yet. First pitch is at 7:05 pm on CanadiansBaseball.com.
C’s Alumni Report
Buffalo slugged their way past Syracuse 10-6 Friday.
- Logan Warmoth – 2/5, HR (6), 3RBI, 2R
- Cullen Large – 1/4, BB, RBI, R, RF Assist
- Riley Adams – 2/5 2-2B (6), 2RBI, R
- Richard Ureña – 1/4, RBI
- Nash Knight – 2/4, 2R
- Travis Bergen – 1.0IP 3H 0R/ER 0BB 0K
New Hampshire held off Reading 5-4.
- Chavez Young – 0/2, HBP, SF,R
- Otto Lopez – 1/4, 2B, 2RBI
- L.J. Talley – 2/4, RBI
- Kevin Vicuña – 0/3, HBP
- Reggie Pruitt – 1/3, SB, R
- Brody Rodning – 1.0IP 1H 0R/ER 0BB 0K
- Jon Harris – 1.0IP 0H 0R/ER 1BB 1K
Cavan Biggio was 1-for-3 and Tayler Saucedo spun a shutout seventh with a strikeout in Toronto’s 3-0 loss to the New York Mets.
Rowdy Tellez was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI as Milwaukee mauled the Chicago White Sox 7-1.
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