The Vancouver Canadians will leave Pasco, Washington with a series loss after a doubleheader sweep by the Tri-City Dust Devils by scores of 4-3 and 3-1 at Gesa Stadium Saturday.
The suspended Game 1 picked up in the bottom of the third with the Dust Devils up 1-0 with one run in, the bases loaded and nobody out. Alex Nolan took over on the mound for Naswell Paulino and limited the damage to a run after getting a 4-6-3 double play ball from Osmy Gregorio that allowed Kenyon Yovan to score.
Tri-CIty added to their lead in the fifth when a throwing error by Tyler Keenan at third base allowed Mike Peabody to reach safely. Peabody stole second with one out and scored on a Jordyn Adams doubled to left to make it 3-0 Dust Devils.
Vancouver clawed their way back against Jake Smith in the sixth when Garrett Spain and Hugo Cardona opened the inning with base hits to center. Davis Schneider then delivered a two-out double to left to score Spain.
The C’s got a leadoff home run in the seventh by Keenan to make it a one-run game. Andrés Sosa then drew a walk and that led to a pitching change as Emilker Guzman took over for Smith. Garrett Spain also heard ball four before a sacrifice bunt by Cardona moved Sosa and Spain into scoring position. A fielder’s choice to short by Mack Mueller—pinch-hitting for Anthony Morales—allowed Sosa to score the tying run.
The Dust Devils would walk it off in the eighth inning. A bunt single by Kyle Kasser off Will McAffer moved the placed runner Adams from second to third. D’Shawn Knowles then beat out an infield single to short with two outs to score Adams with the winning run.
Game 2 Recap
The Canadians opened the scoring in the top of the fourth when Davis Schneider opened the frame with a double to left off Ryan Costeiu. Tyler Keenan blooped a single to left to get Schneider over to third and a P.K. Morris 6-4 fielder’s choice allowed Schneider to score.
The Dust Devils stormed back against Hunter Gregory in the home half of the fourth. One-out singles by Gabe Matthews to left and Edwin Yon to right moved up 90 feet when Gregory threw out Knowles after a tapper to the mound. Mike Peabody lined a double to right to score Matthews and Yon before an infield single to first that Morris could not handle allowed Peabody to cross home plate.
C-Notes
The Canadians were completely shut down through the first five innings of Game 1 as Spain’s leadoff single in the sixth was the first baserunner of the day. Addison Barger followed Schneider’s two-run double with a two-out walk but Miguel Hiraldo fouled out to first.
Another opportunity to score additional runs for Vancouver came in the seventh when Mueller stole second after his fielder’s choice groundout scored the tying run. He and Spain were in scoring position but Steward Berroa struck out swinging before Schneider flied out to left.
Vancouver got the go-ahead run to third when a productive out by Barger to first base allowed Schneider to advance to third as the placed runner but Hiraldo struck out swinging and Keenan grounded out to first.
Spain was the only Vancouver hitter to reach base twice with a hit and a walk. Mueller stole his second base of the year. The C’s were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position with six men left on base.
McAffer stranded a leadoff single by Matthews in the sixth and overcame a Peabody leadoff walk in the seventh by striking out Yovan and Adams. In between, Sosa threw out Peabody trying to steal second after moving from first base to take over behind the plate for Morales.
McAffer and Nolan were charged with an unearned run apiece. McAffer gave up three hits and a walk with three strikeouts over 2-2/3 innings to take the loss. Nolan pitched three innings and allowed just one hit while striking out one.
Game 2 Notes
Barger had the first Vancouver base knock with a two-out single to right in the first inning. Spain had the next safety with a bunt single to begin the third but he was forced out on a 6-4-3 double play by Cardona.
A two-out single by Schneider in the sixth led nowhere and a two-out walk by Sosa brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh. Glenn Albanese Jr. took over for Costeiu and got Spain to ground out to second to end the game.
Schneider had the only two-hit game for Vancouver as they were held to four singles and Schneider’s double. Sosa had the only walk.
Gregory retired the side in order in the first and third innings after stranding a one-out single to center by Yon and a two-out infield single to second by Peabody. The Old Dominion righty lasted 3-2/3 innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out three and walking nobody. All seven of his outs in play were on the ground.
Lefthander Jimmy Robbins took over for Gregory and got the final out of the fourth to strand his lone inherited runner. He retired all seven hitters he faced, four by strikeout, to keep the game within reach. Of his 30 pitches, 21 were in the strike zone.
Now at 25-28 for the season, Vancouver will go with Alejandro Melean on the mound in the series finale against Nick Mondak. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. on CanadiansBaseball.com.
Outfielder Harry Ray has been placed on the seven-day injured list. Righthander Mark Simon has been added back to the roster after being on the shelf for over a month. He has not pitched since May 9 in Eugene.
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