10-Run Inning Highlights Doubleheader Split

EUGENE, OR – In true Dickensian fashion, the Vancouver Canadians experienced the best of times and the worst of times, the epoch of belief and the epoch of incredulity, the spring of hope and the winter of despair in their doubleheader split with the Eugene Emeralds (Giants) Saturday night at PK Park. A 1-0 loss on a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth put the C’s a game below .500 for the third time this year before they turned Tracktown USA into a track meet with 10 runs in a single inning to trounce the Ems 12-4 in game two.

In an odd series that began with three innings on Monday, continued with six more on Thursday and had two scheduled off-days, a rainout, a nearly three-hour rain delay, and a cancelled game, Vancouver came into Saturday’s twin bill short on routine and long on restlessness. The offense – which scored two runs over the course of two days between Monday and Thursday to complete game one of the set – couldn’t figure out top Giants pitching prospect Kyle Harrison while Adam Kloffenstein kept the Emeralds at bay for four innings and Hunter Gregory followed by matching a single-game C’s season high with eight K’s in three innings of relief.

The game was decided in the bottom of the eighth. With the placed runner at second, Hunter Bishop bunted for a base hit to put men at the corners and set the table for #1 Giants prospect Marco Luciano. The 20-year-old shortstop lined a single off the glove of the diving third baseman to plate the lone run of the game for either side and hand Eugene a 1-0 walk-off win in extras.

Blanked for just the third time this year (and all of them in seven-inning games), the Canadians wasted no time jumping on the board in game two. Newcomer Steward Berroa doubled for his first C’s hit, went to third on a groundout and scored on an Addison Barger RBI single.

Eugene tied it in the fourth, but it was virtually all Vancouver from there. A walk, a single and a force out put men on first and third before Barger grounded out to bring home a run and put the C’s in front 2-1.

After Naswell Paulino (W, 1-0) set down the side in the bottom of the fifth, the Canadians came to the dish in the sixth looking to obtain some insurance. 15 batters, 10 runs, six hits, five walks and a hit batter later, the C’s led 12-1. Highlights from the inning including a Barger grand slam that was followed by a PK Morris solo homer for Vancouver’s first back-to-back jacks of the year, Davis Schneider doubled home a run and Garrett Spain collected his first RBI since April 10 with a single, his first of two hits in the inning. The first out of the frame wasn’t recorded until the tenth batter.

Chad Dallas, Paulino and Ryan Boyer combined to limit the Emeralds to one run on six hits through the first six before Eugene scratched across three runs in the bottom of the seventh to turn an 11-run deficit into a slightly more respectable 12-4 game that put the Canadians back in the win column for the first time since Sunday.

All nine starters reached base and scored at least one run, seven had a hit and four collected RBI. Barger’s six-RBI showing established a new single-game high by a C’s hitter and matched a career mark for the Everett, WA native.

The 10-run inning was the first double-digit stanza for the Canadians since August 10, 2017 when they plated 10 on eight hits, two walks and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the second inning to blank the Tri-City Dust Devils 11-0 at Nat Bailey Stadium.

PK Park will host one final game between these two clubs this week as they finish up their series on Sunday night. #23 Blue Jays prospect Trent Palmer will aim to lead the C’s to a series split while Jake Wong toes the slab for Eugene. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and can be heard live on CanadiansBaseball.com and the Sportsnet Radio Network.

The Canadians return home May 17-22 for a six-game set against the Tri-City (Angels). Tuesday through Thursday games begin at 7:05 p.m. while games Friday through Sunday start at 1:05 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting the box office, calling 604-872-5232 or logging on to CanadiansBaseball.com.