The Vancouver Canadians were unable to guarantee a series split against the Hillsboro Hops after a 5-1 loss at Ron Tonkin Field Thursday.
The Canadians got the first run of the game courtesy of Orelvis Martinez as he belted the first pitch he saw from Kyler Stout for a solo home run with two outs in the first.
The Hops got a long ball of their own to tie the game as Tristin English led off the second inning with a home run off Alex Nolan.
Hillsboro pulled ahead in the fifth when Nick Dalesandro got a leadoff double against Nolan. Dalesandro went to third on a Leodany Perez infield single to third and would score on a one-out base knock by Eduardo Diaz.
The Hops tallied two more runs in the sixth against Brian Rapp. A leadoff walk by English was tripled home by Danny Oriente. On the next pitch, A.J. Vukovich would single home Oriente for the final Hillsboro run.
C-Notes
The Canadians did not get another baserunner after Martinez’s home run until the fourth when Tanner Morris worked a leadoff walk from Josh McMinn. Morris went to second on Martinez’s sharp comebacker to the mound. Luis De Los Santos was hit by a pitch with two outs but Philip Clarke grounded out to second.
Will Robertson got Vancouver’s first hit since Martinez’s dinger with a single to left off Nick Snyder to begin the seventh. Clarke was plunked with one out but was forced out on an Eric Rivera 5-4 fielder’s choice. Andres Guerra loaded the bases with a walk but Zac Cook grounded out to second to end that threat.
The last hit for Vancouver was a two-out Clarke single to right off Wesley Rodriguez.
Clarke was the only Canadian to reach base twice as he was hit by a pitch. Vancouver was 0-for-4 with runners on second and/or third and stranded six runners.
Nolan was charged with two runs on eight hits over five innings but struck out five and issued zero walks. Rapp was roughed up for two runs in the sixth on three hits and a walk.
Toronto Blue Jays sixth-round pick Hayden Juenger struck out two in a perfect sixth inning. Juenger is the third former Missouri State Bear to join the C’s in recent years, joining 2015 hurler Jon Harris and 2018 outfielder Hunter Steinmetz.
The Canadians have a new player in the fold. Catcher Anthony Morales has joined Monty’s Mounties after a stint with Triple-A Buffalo. The 6-foot-0, 21 year-old switch-hitter from Puerto Rico signed with Toronto as a free agent June 25, 2019 from Lake Land Community College in Illinois. He hit .222 in a dozen games with Low-A Dunedin earlier this season and went 3-for-9 in a recent stint with Triple-A Buffalo. Morales will wear number 20, which belonged to Ronny Brito before he was released.
Vancouver falls to 37-44 on the season, putting them half-a game ahead of 36-44 Hillsboro for fourth place in the High-A West. The C’s are 10 games behind second place Eugene who hold the final playoff spot.
Paxton Schultz is scheduled to make the start for Vancouver Friday in a 7:05 pm start on CanadiansBaseball.com. Blake Walston gets the ball for Hillsboro.
C’s Alumni Report
Buffalo outlasted Lehigh Valley 9-7 Thursday.
- Otto Lopez – 1/2, 3BB, 3R
- Richard Ureña – 2/5, 2B, 2RBI, R
- Cullen Large – 1/4, HR (5), BB
New Hampshire rallied past Reading 6-2.
- Tanner Kirwer – 0/2, BB, SB (11), R
- Chavez Young – 1/2, R
- Samad Taylor – 0/4, BB
- Vinny Capra – 4/5, 2B, 3RBI, R
- Kevin Vicuña – 0/4, BB
- Ryan Gold – 1/5
- Nick Podkul – 1/4, R
- Reggie Pruitt – 0/3, BB, LF Assist
- Fitz Stadler – 2.0IP 1H 0R/ER 0BB 2K (W, 2-1)
Tim Mayza earned his 13th holder of the year with a shutout eighth as Toronto blanked Cleveland 3-0.
Miguel Castro had a goose egg in the New York Mets 4-2 loss to Miami.
Josh Palacios began a rehab assignment with the Florida Coast League Blue jays and drew three walks in four at-bats and scored a run against the FCL Tigers West in a suspended game.
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