The Vancouver Canadians and Boise Hawks wrapped up their five-game series at Nat Bailey Stadium last week. Here's a look back at the final two games of that series.
Zak Wasilewski got the start for the C's Friday afternoon and it did not go well. He struck out the first and last batter he faced in the first inning but only went one out further. Four of his five runs were earned on three hits and five walks. Wasilewski's velocity was in the 79-89 MPH range.
Mike Reeves is unable to tag out the runner at home after the C's failed to get an out during a rundown between first and second base in the first inning.
Jonathon Wandling was asked to soak up some innings in relief of Zak Wasilewski. Wandling could only strand one of the three runners he inherited due in part to an error by second baseman Gunnar Heidt. Wandling - who was throwing 78-91 MPH - lasted 3.2 innings and was charged with three runs on five hits and a walk and struck out one. Two of the runs were charged when Mark Biggs gave up a pair of run-scoring hits. Biggs lasted three innings and gave up a run before Brett Barber wrapped up the ninth with a run allowed.
Gunnar Heidt rounds the bases after blasting his first home run to left field in the ninth inning to make it a 10-2 game.
It was not on this pitch but it was during this at-bat that third baseman Richard Urena lined a single to right field for his first hit in the Northwest League. That scored Tim Locastro, who got aboard on a hit by pitch (surprising, I know!). Unfortunately, that was not nearly enough as the C's were grounded by the Hawks 10-3. Roemon Fields and Trent Miller had the only multi-hit efforts with two apiece. Vancouver actually outhit Boise 12-11 but were outwalked 7-1 as the C's dropped their third in a row to the Hawks.
Saturday starter Chase Mallard works on his delivery before the series finale. After watching the previous two starters last just 1.1 innings each, Mallard struck out the first batter of the game but he found himself in a one-out jam after a single and a walk. However, he picked off the runner at second and proceeded to retire the next hitter on a fly ball to keep Boise off the board. Mallard would surrender a leadoff double in the second but Boise would pop up into a 6-4 double play to end the inning. He gave them six solid innings of shutout ball with only four hits and two walks allowed. His pitches clocked in from 80-90 MPH.
Roemon Fields got the C's rolling with a leadoff triple, much to the delight of his manager John Schneider, his teammates (including a standing Jonathon Wandling) and former Blue Jays slugger Fred McGriff. Hint - McGriff is the one dressed in blue! ;D
Tim Locastro is safe and he knows it! He brought in Fields with a single for the first run of the game and proceeded to steal second for his 26th swipe of the year.
Manager John Schneider runs from the third base box to check on Roemon Fields, who was shaken up in a collision with Boise shortstop Jason Vosler moments after stealing his 42nd base of the year in the ninth. Fields recovered to score his third run of the night on a Franklin Barreto single. Fields had three hits, Barreto had two and Richard Urena chipped in with one.
Michael Kraft issued a couple of walks and was charged with a run in two-plus innings but he struck out five before giving way to Phil Kish. A single and sacrifice fly would produce Boise's only run but a beautiful diving catch by Chris Carlson in left field ended the game and preserved a 4-1 victory.
Zak Wasilewski got the start for the C's Friday afternoon and it did not go well. He struck out the first and last batter he faced in the first inning but only went one out further. Four of his five runs were earned on three hits and five walks. Wasilewski's velocity was in the 79-89 MPH range.
Mike Reeves is unable to tag out the runner at home after the C's failed to get an out during a rundown between first and second base in the first inning.
Jonathon Wandling was asked to soak up some innings in relief of Zak Wasilewski. Wandling could only strand one of the three runners he inherited due in part to an error by second baseman Gunnar Heidt. Wandling - who was throwing 78-91 MPH - lasted 3.2 innings and was charged with three runs on five hits and a walk and struck out one. Two of the runs were charged when Mark Biggs gave up a pair of run-scoring hits. Biggs lasted three innings and gave up a run before Brett Barber wrapped up the ninth with a run allowed.
Gunnar Heidt rounds the bases after blasting his first home run to left field in the ninth inning to make it a 10-2 game.
It was not on this pitch but it was during this at-bat that third baseman Richard Urena lined a single to right field for his first hit in the Northwest League. That scored Tim Locastro, who got aboard on a hit by pitch (surprising, I know!). Unfortunately, that was not nearly enough as the C's were grounded by the Hawks 10-3. Roemon Fields and Trent Miller had the only multi-hit efforts with two apiece. Vancouver actually outhit Boise 12-11 but were outwalked 7-1 as the C's dropped their third in a row to the Hawks.
Saturday starter Chase Mallard works on his delivery before the series finale. After watching the previous two starters last just 1.1 innings each, Mallard struck out the first batter of the game but he found himself in a one-out jam after a single and a walk. However, he picked off the runner at second and proceeded to retire the next hitter on a fly ball to keep Boise off the board. Mallard would surrender a leadoff double in the second but Boise would pop up into a 6-4 double play to end the inning. He gave them six solid innings of shutout ball with only four hits and two walks allowed. His pitches clocked in from 80-90 MPH.
Roemon Fields got the C's rolling with a leadoff triple, much to the delight of his manager John Schneider, his teammates (including a standing Jonathon Wandling) and former Blue Jays slugger Fred McGriff. Hint - McGriff is the one dressed in blue! ;D
Tim Locastro is safe and he knows it! He brought in Fields with a single for the first run of the game and proceeded to steal second for his 26th swipe of the year.
Manager John Schneider runs from the third base box to check on Roemon Fields, who was shaken up in a collision with Boise shortstop Jason Vosler moments after stealing his 42nd base of the year in the ninth. Fields recovered to score his third run of the night on a Franklin Barreto single. Fields had three hits, Barreto had two and Richard Urena chipped in with one.
Michael Kraft issued a couple of walks and was charged with a run in two-plus innings but he struck out five before giving way to Phil Kish. A single and sacrifice fly would produce Boise's only run but a beautiful diving catch by Chris Carlson in left field ended the game and preserved a 4-1 victory.
Boise won the season series by taking three out of five at home and on the road. The C's could have easily won the season set had they not blown two seven-run leads in Idaho. Still, the Canadians got a much needed win and that has sparked them to a current four-game winning streak and a one-game lead over Tri-City in the Northwest League's North Division. Should the two teams be tied at the end of the regular season, the C's get the tie-breaker based on winning the season series. The same scenario holds if Everett catches Vancouver but the AquaSox are three games off the pace.
The Canadians continue their five-game set in Eugene before returning home to face Spokane on Saturday for the start of a three-game set. Should the C's get into the post-season, they'll face Spokane - the first-half winners of the North Division.