The Vancouver Canadians were defeated by the Spokane Indians 7-6 at Avista Stadium on Wednesday.
The home side got on the board in their first at-bat after Spokane starter Victor Juarez stranded a Garrett Spain one-out double to right at third base in the top of the first. Benny Montgomery and Brendan Rodgers walked and Sterlin Thompson was hit in the elbow. All three runners would score as C’s starter Adam Macko walked Ryan Ritter before Zach Kokoska delivered a two-run single to left. Macko did strike out Nic Kent and A.J. Lewis to get out of the inning.
Both clubs had a runner in scoring position in the second with Ryan McCarty getting a one-out double against Juarez and Montgomery getting to second after an infield single to the mound and an error by Macko but neither team scored.
Vancouver wasted another runner at second when Estiven Machado was stranded after a leadoff double to left in the top of the third. Spokane increased its lead when Ritter drew a leadoff walk and advanced on the basepaths after an errant pickoff throw by Macko. Ritter would tag up and score on a Kent sacrifice fly to center.
The Canadians offence finally solved Juarez in the top of the fourth. Leadoff free passes by Alex De Jesús and Josh Kasevich and a single to left by Devonte Brown. One-out walks to Kekai Rios and Machado walked to bring in De Jesús and Kasevich. Dasan Brown then singled to right to plate Devonte Brown and Rios to tie the game at 4-4. Keegan James relieved Juarez and could only strand one of Juarez’s runners as a Spain 4-6 fielder’s choice scored Machado from third to put the C’s in front. Michael Turconi picked up a walk before the inning came to an end.
Lefty Cooper Benson struck out Lewis to begin the bottom of the fourth inning but Spokane put together a two-out rally. Montgomery singled to center and Rodgers singled to right before Thompson also got a base hit to the nine-spot to send Montgomery home with the tying run. Benson got out of the inning by picking off Thompson at first.
After the C’s went quietly in the top of the fifth, Benson surrendered a one-out single to center by Kent and a two-out walk to Juan Guerrero in the bottom half but struck out Ritter looking to open the inning before closing it out by fanning Lewis.
In the top of the sixth, Machado had a one-out walk but was thrown out by Spokane catcher Ronaiker Palma at second base. Hunter Gregory took care of Spokane in the bottom half with a perfect frame that ended with a strikeout of Rodgers.
The Canadians regained the lead when Turconi connected for a one-out solo homer to right off Luis Amoroso. The home side answered back with a two-out rally against Gregory who had struck out Ritter before giving up a single up the middle to Kent. That brought Kokoska to the plate and he belted a two-run homer to center to give Spokane the lead again. Guerrero singled to center and stole second before Gregory got the third out.
Devonte Brown drove one to the warning track in center field to open the eighth but was retired for the first out by Juan Mejia. McCarty followed up with a single to left but he was nailed trying to swipe second.
Matt Svanson needed just five pitches to take care of Spokane in the bottom of the eighth but McCarty’s single in the eighth was Vancouver’s last baserunner as Angel Chivilli had a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to give the home side the victory.
C-Notes
The C’s are 14-6 in the second half with Everett three games off the pace and Spokane at four back. Vancouver’s overall record is now 52-33.
Kevin Miranda will start the third game of this series for Vancouver in another 6:35 p.m. start at Avista Stadium on Thursday. The game can be heard on CanadiansBaseball.com with Tyler Zickel.
Alan Roden‘s Double-A debut saw him reach base three times by going 2-for-4 with a walk in New Hampshire’s loss to Portland.
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