The Vancouver Canadians and Boise Hawks have had their share of memorable battles after duking it out in the last two Northwest League championship finals. The middle game of this five-game series added another chapter to the rivalry.
This game featured the debut of Richard Urena, called up from Bluefield. The 18 year-old Dominican throws out Victoria native Jesse Hodges but a run scored on the play to make it 2-0 Boise. Urena was inserted into the lineup at shortstop and handled a couple of tough hops flawlessly. He would go 0-for-5 with a walk but he made the Hawks pitchers work for it by working deep counts in each plate appearance. You may have noted Urena wears #6, the same number 2014 first round pick Max Pentecost wore earlier this year in Vancouver.
Roemon Fields looked to be energized after a night off Tuesday. He drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on a Ryan McBroom ground ball to put Vancouver on the board in the first inning.
Boise's Bryan Flete is able to swerve around Vancouver catcher Mike Reeves and "score" Boise's third run in the second inning on a David Bote double. Looking at the play through the camera lens, I don't think Flete ever did touch home plate but Reeves never tagged him afterwards.
Canadians starter Daniel Lietz did not last very long in this one. The lefty got just four outs while giving up five runs on four hits and two walks. His pitches were in the 77-93 MPH range.
Alberto Tirado took over for Lietz and did allow an inherited run to score on a single. Despite issuing three walks, he struck out seven over 3.2 shutout innings to give his team a chance to come back. Three of his K's were on 87 MPH offerings and another was at 90.
The C's began the climb back from a 5-1 deficit with a two-out rally in the second inning, started by a pair of two-out walks from Mike Reeves and Christian Vazquez. A wild pitch from Boise starter Dillon Maples and a Roemon Fields single scored Reeves and Vazquez, who is pictured here. Fields snapped a 0-for-16 skid with that base hit.
The Canadians drew even with Boise with two more runs in the third and made some history in the process. Franklin Barreto crosses home plate with the fourth run on a Chris Carlson single to break Nick Blasi's 2004 mark for most runs scored in a season. A Boomer Collins groundout plated the tying run and Richard Urena followed with a walk to put runners on the corners with one out for Mike Reeves. However, Reeves would ground into a double play to end the rally. It would take awhile before somebody would touch home plate again.
Michael Kraft used his curveball to strike out three of the six hitters he faced over two perfect frames. His Uncle Charlie clocked in at 73-74 MPH while his fastball came in at 88-90.
Andrew Case showed his mettle by pitching two scoreless frames. The pride of Saint John, New Brunswick stranded a one-out triple with a pair of strikeouts to end the ninth inning. Case walked a hitter but struck out three, including one on an 87 MPH offering.
Ryan Metzler was called in to pinch-run for Mike Reeves after he doubled with one out in the 11th inning. Roemon Fields lined a single to left with two outs but Metzler was thrown out at the plate to keep the game tied at 5-5.
After Phil Kish tossed a pair of shutout frames with pitches ranging from 80-93 MPH, Jose Fernandez added another goose egg in the 12th but the lefty gave up a two-run double to David Bote for the decisive runs in the 13th. The rally started on a Jesse Hodges leadoff single, who shook off an injury after bunting a ball into his face.
The C's had their chances to win it. A Gunnar Heidt pinch-hit double with one out in the ninth went for naught and Franklin Barreto hit a deep fly to center field that died at the warning track to lead off the 10th.
Up next will be a closer look at the final two games of this series.
This game featured the debut of Richard Urena, called up from Bluefield. The 18 year-old Dominican throws out Victoria native Jesse Hodges but a run scored on the play to make it 2-0 Boise. Urena was inserted into the lineup at shortstop and handled a couple of tough hops flawlessly. He would go 0-for-5 with a walk but he made the Hawks pitchers work for it by working deep counts in each plate appearance. You may have noted Urena wears #6, the same number 2014 first round pick Max Pentecost wore earlier this year in Vancouver.
Roemon Fields looked to be energized after a night off Tuesday. He drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on a Ryan McBroom ground ball to put Vancouver on the board in the first inning.
Boise's Bryan Flete is able to swerve around Vancouver catcher Mike Reeves and "score" Boise's third run in the second inning on a David Bote double. Looking at the play through the camera lens, I don't think Flete ever did touch home plate but Reeves never tagged him afterwards.
Canadians starter Daniel Lietz did not last very long in this one. The lefty got just four outs while giving up five runs on four hits and two walks. His pitches were in the 77-93 MPH range.
Alberto Tirado took over for Lietz and did allow an inherited run to score on a single. Despite issuing three walks, he struck out seven over 3.2 shutout innings to give his team a chance to come back. Three of his K's were on 87 MPH offerings and another was at 90.
The C's began the climb back from a 5-1 deficit with a two-out rally in the second inning, started by a pair of two-out walks from Mike Reeves and Christian Vazquez. A wild pitch from Boise starter Dillon Maples and a Roemon Fields single scored Reeves and Vazquez, who is pictured here. Fields snapped a 0-for-16 skid with that base hit.
The Canadians drew even with Boise with two more runs in the third and made some history in the process. Franklin Barreto crosses home plate with the fourth run on a Chris Carlson single to break Nick Blasi's 2004 mark for most runs scored in a season. A Boomer Collins groundout plated the tying run and Richard Urena followed with a walk to put runners on the corners with one out for Mike Reeves. However, Reeves would ground into a double play to end the rally. It would take awhile before somebody would touch home plate again.
Michael Kraft used his curveball to strike out three of the six hitters he faced over two perfect frames. His Uncle Charlie clocked in at 73-74 MPH while his fastball came in at 88-90.
Andrew Case showed his mettle by pitching two scoreless frames. The pride of Saint John, New Brunswick stranded a one-out triple with a pair of strikeouts to end the ninth inning. Case walked a hitter but struck out three, including one on an 87 MPH offering.
Ryan Metzler was called in to pinch-run for Mike Reeves after he doubled with one out in the 11th inning. Roemon Fields lined a single to left with two outs but Metzler was thrown out at the plate to keep the game tied at 5-5.
After Phil Kish tossed a pair of shutout frames with pitches ranging from 80-93 MPH, Jose Fernandez added another goose egg in the 12th but the lefty gave up a two-run double to David Bote for the decisive runs in the 13th. The rally started on a Jesse Hodges leadoff single, who shook off an injury after bunting a ball into his face.
The C's had their chances to win it. A Gunnar Heidt pinch-hit double with one out in the ninth went for naught and Franklin Barreto hit a deep fly to center field that died at the warning track to lead off the 10th.
Up next will be a closer look at the final two games of this series.