19.
(Hillsboro Ballpark - Hillsboro, OR) - In a game that spanned well over five hours, the Canadians finally broke defensively to help the Hillsboro Hops walk away with a 5-4 victory in 19 innings on Sunday afternoon (evening).
Vancouver would jump out to an early lead with a run in the top of the 1st inning when DH L.B. Dantzler doubled off of Hillsboro starter RHP Braden Shipley that brought home CF Chaz Frank.
Three more runs would come home in the top of the 3rd inning off of Hops reliever RHP Austin Platt who at one point through a ball into the stands to help the Canadians build a 4-0 lead.
Those runs would be the last Vancouver scored on the afternoon.
Canadians RHP Jeremy Gabryszwski went six innings and ran into trouble in the bottom of the 4th inning as five Hops hitters would connect for base hits. When the dust had settled, Hillsboro had produced four runs to draw even.
Vancouver SS Dickie Thon Jr. was ejected in the middle of the 7th inning for arguing balls and strikes with the home plate umpire and manager Clayton McCullough was ejected seconds later for picking up the conversation started by Thon.
The Hops were the aggressors in extra innings, but couldn't crack the Canadians bullpen who went an unprecedented 12 scoreless innings before RHP Chuck Ghysels pitched into the 19th inning.
How the winning run would score:
A leadoff bunt from 2B John Leonard was fielded by Ghysels who short-hopped 1B Jordan Leyland with his throw allowing Leonard out to second base with no one out. A wild pitch from Ghysels would allow Leonard to third base before he would strike out CF Taylor Ratliff. SS Ryan Gebhardt would hit a ball into foul territory in shallow right field that was caught by Canadians outfielder RF Brendan Kalfus who would proceed to throw home with a charging Leonard hoping to become the games winning run. The ball would short-hop Canadians C Mike Reeves and scoot over his glove allowing Leonard to score without a tag to end the longest game in Vancouver Canadians short-season history (previous mark was 5:06 set in 2002 vs. Eugene).
Notes: Canadians' RF Brendan Kalfus & 2B Andy Fermin shared a dubious honour on Sunday becoming the first players in Canadians history to go 0-for-8... The middle portion of the Vancouver line-up (3-through-7) finished 2-for-44 (.045)... The Canadians went the final 16 offensive innings without scoring a run... LF Ian Parmley was a bright spot going 4-for-7 on the afternoon, giving him more hits then the entire Canadians roster over the course of the 19 inning game.
With the loss, Vancouver falls to 14-10 (.583) on the season and fall three games back of North Division leading Everett who topped Salem-Keizer on Sunday afternoon. The win improves the Hops record to 7-17 (.292) through 24 Northwest League games.
The Canadians and Hillsboro Hops play the final game of this five-game series on Monday evening at 7:05pm as Vancouver sends LHP Colton Turner (1-2, 3.86) to the mound against RHP Jose Martinez (1-1, 4.26). All road games can be heard here at www.canadiansbaseball.com
The C's return to Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium on Wednesday, June 10th at 7:05pm to face the Boise Hawks in a re-match of the 2012 Northwest League Championship. Tickets can be purchased by calling 604.872.5232 or by visiting the Nat Bailey Stadium Box Office at 4601 Ontario Street, Vancouver, B.C.