Vancouver Tops Hawks to Win NWL Crown

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Tom Robson and two relievers combined on a four-hit shutout, as the Vancouver Canadians defeated the Boise Hawks, 5-0, to claim their third straight Northwest League Championship.

The C's join the Spokane Indians (1986-87-88-89) and the Hawks (1993-94-95) as the only teams in league history to win three-straight titles. Vancouver opened the scoring in the third, as with two on and two outs, L.B. Dantzler hit a liner to center than Kevin Encarnacion misjudged, with the ball going over his head for a two-run double and a 2-0 lead.

Robson would retire 12-straight men until a Rony Rodriguez double in the seventh, but Alonzo Gonzalez came in and struck out two to end the threat. The hosts got insurance in the eight - as a Mike Reeves RBI single pushed the lead to 3-0, and Ian Parmley had a two-run seeing-eye single with two outs to close the scoring.

Mitch Nay had two hits in the win for Vancouver, with Robson allowing just three hits in six-plus innings for his second postseason win.

It marked the 13th Championship Series for the Hawks, with Boise now 6-7 in those - including losses in 2006, 2012 and 2013.