C's Skid Continues To Start Season

VANCOUVER, BC – The worst start in Canadians franchise history continued Wednesday night in a 5-2 loss to the Eugene Emeralds (SF) at The Nat. Vancouver is now 0-5 for the first time since digital record keeping began in 2005.

For the second consecutive game, Eugene scored in the opening inning and led wire-to-wire. The Emeralds added another run in the second and used a solo homer in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. C’s starter Austin Cates (L, 0-1) was chased from the game after the first batter of the fifth; he scattered six hits, four walks and four Ks in his season debut.

Reliever Aaron Munson turned in the best performance on either side of the ball for the C’s. He took over for Cates in the fifth and faced two batters over in the minimum in three scoreless stanzas that featured one hit, one walk and five strikeouts.

Vancouver spoiled the shutout with a run in the bottom of the eighth. Kendry Chirinos led off with a single and scampered to third on a fielder’s choice plus throwing error that had runners at the corners with nobody out. A sacrifice fly from Alexis Hernandez followed, and the C’s put the tying run on base with two outs thanks to a walk but failed to score again in the frame.

Eugene plated two big insurance runs in the top of the ninth. They did so with four hits, three of which came with two outs.

That proved to be too big of a lead to overcome. Maddox Latta started the bottom of the final inning with a walk, went to second on a balk then raced home when Manny Beltre lined a single to right field. Another walk followed to bring the tying run to the plate, but three consecutive strikeouts ended the game.

The lone extra base hit for the Canadians tonight came courtesy of #3 Blue Jays prospect Arjun Nimmala, who doubled to begin the fourth. He now has three extra base hits in four games played. Latta (two walks) was the only Vancouver hitter to reach base twice.

Thursday provides another chance for the C’s to grab their elusive first win of the year. Landen Maroudis looks to stop the skid opposite Ems righty Niko Mazza. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Get tickets at CanadiansBaseball.com and follow the action on Sportsnet 650, Bally Sports Live and @vancanadians across social.