Hawks Rally to Force Decisive Game 3

BOISE, Idaho - Willson Contreras lined a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning, helping the Boise Hawks force a decisive Game 3 of the Northwest League Championship Series, rallying to defeat the Vancouver Canadians, 3-2, at Memorial Stadium.

The finale is set for tomorrow night at 6:45 p.m. - with the Hawks sending Tayler Scott opposite Vancouver ace Taylor Cole.

The Hawks rallied from 2-1 down in the eighth, as Stephen Bruno hammered a Arik Sikula pitch off the left field wall with two outs to score Trey Martin with the tying run. After Nathan Dorris worked out of a first and second jam with a key strikeout of D.J. Davis to end the top of the ninth, the Hawks won it in the bottom of the frame. Jeimer Candelario led off with a double to right-center and Izaac Garsez was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch would advance the runners 90 feet, forcing Rock Shoulders to be intentionally walked. Up stepped Contreras, who lined a 1-0 pitch deep down the left field line with the game winner.

Early on, it was a pitchers' duel, as Vancouver's Roberto Osuna scattered two hits and struck out nine in five sharp innings. Pierce Johnson went three innings for the Hawks, striking out six - but allowed an unearned run as Carlos Ramirez reached on a dropped third strike, with Contreras' throw to first ending up in the Boise bullpen - allowing Ramirez to reach third, eventually scoring on a wild pitch.

Boise would tie the game in the seventh, as with two outs and the bases loaded, Contreras cued a ball of the end of the bat that started foul and curved back fair - beating reliever Wil Browning to the bag to even the score. Vancouver would retake the lead in the eighth as Balbino Fuenmayor tripled off the wall in center, scoring on a Art Charles double.

Fuenmayor and Tucker Frawley each had three hits for the C's, with Contreras going 2-for-4 for the Hawks.

NOTES - It was the sixth walk-off win at home this season for Boise - with Contreras doing the honors for the second-straight Saturday night (won the game last Saturday vs. Everett, 12-11)...it was the first blown save of the season in 14 chances for Sikula, who was 3-for-3 in the postseason...Albert Almora was injured crashing into the centerfield wall on Fuenmayor's triple in the eighth, having to leave the game - his condition has not been determined...if Vancouver wins tomorrow, it will be their second-straight NWL championship, while if the Hawks win, it will be their seventh title, but first since 2004.