C's Stay Hot In Sun-Splashed Friday Win

VANCOUVER, BC – Toronto’s most talented Minor League affiliate continued to live up to their preseason billing Friday afternoon at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium, as the Canadians used a pair of big innings to take down the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 10-2 and secure a series split with three consecutive wins.

For the first four innings, C’s starter Trenton Wallace (W, 4-1) and Everett right-hander Bernie Martinez (L, 1-2) traded zeroes at a pace that moved fast even for the pitch clock era. Neither pitcher surrendered a hit until Rainer Nunez got to Martinez with a two-out single in the bottom of the fourth, but the game remained scoreless until the fifth.

Michael Turconi sparked a two-out rally with a liner up the middle for a base hit, Garret Spain singled and Jommer Hernandez walked to load the bases. Up stepped Alan Roden, who cracked a two-RBI knock to right center that broke the scoreless tie and put the C’s in front 2-0. That set the scene for #12 Blue Jays prospect Gabby Martinez, who launched a 1-0 pitch deep to left field for a no-doubt three-run homer that landed on top of The Nütrl Zone to complete the five-run frame.

The offense came to life at the perfect moment to get Wallace the win. The lefty didn’t allow a hit or a walk in his five scoreless frames and racked up seven strikeouts in the process. He was lifted for Abdiel Mendoza to start the sixth, who worked around a pair of two-out singles to keep the shutout intact before the Canadians put the game away with four runs in the home half of the inning.

It started with Alex De Jesus’ third homer of the year, a line drive that left the ballpark in a hurry to make it 6-0. After a throwing error and an infield single for Josh Kasevich put two men on base, Michael Turconi uncorked a fly ball to right field that sailed over the 25-foot wall for his third bomb of the season to put Vancouver ahead 9-0.

The Frogs spoiled the shutout with a run in the seventh, but the C’s got it back in the bottom of the frame after Martinez singled, moved to second on a ground out and scored on De Jesus’ second hit of the day.

Everett added one more in the eighth but that would be all as Justin Kelly and Connor Cooke got the last six outs to secure the 10-2 win.

All nine starters reached base and eight had a hit. Turconi finished the day a triple shy of the cycle, Martinez’s two hits extended his hitting streak to a team-best nine games and De Jesus and Spain both found their way aboard two times.

With the win, the Canadians improve to a season-best seven games above .500 (17-10) to maintain their hold on first place in the Northwest League. They are 12-3 in their last 15 games and have the best winning percentage (.630) in the Blue Jays’ organization.

Vancouver can nail down their third consecutive series win Saturday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. It’s the second installment of the Toyota Superstar Series, which brings former big leaguer and broadcaster Steve Lyons to The Nat. #11 Blue Jays prospect Dahian Santos gets the nod for the C’s against Everett’s Jordan Jackson. Gates open at noon and coverage is available on Bally Live, MiLB TV and the Sportsnet Radio Network.