Offense Stays Hot In 10-3 Win Over Hillsboro

VANCOUVER, BC – After 1,105 days since their last meeting at Nat Bailey Stadium and an entire season as roommates in 2021, the Canadians welcomed the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) for their first visit north of the border Tuesday night with a 10-3 triumph to open their six-game series this week.

Hillsboro jumped out to an early 1-0 with a solo homer from #14 Diamondbacks prospect Ryan Bliss in the top of the first, but Vancouver answered with a run of their own in the home half when Zach Britton and Leo Jimenez hit consecutive one-out doubles to even the score at one.

Nick Frasso got the start and surrendered an unearned run in the top of the second that had the Hops in front 2-1, but their lead would only last until the bottom of the fourth. Riley Tirotta – activated off the Injured List prior to the game for his first action since the beginning of June – doubled with one out and went to third on the play after an error in left field. That allowed a deep fly ball from Miguel Hiraldo to become a game-tying sacrifice fly to make it 2-2.

Sean Wymer (W, 2-0) turned in his finest Canadians outing of the year with three innings of scoreless relief that kept the game tied until the C’s took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Jimenez singled, Tirotta doubled and Hiraldo cracked one off the wall in centerfield for a two-RBI double to give Vancouver a 4-2 advantage.

The Hops hit their second solo shot of the night to start the seventh, but Hugo Cardona went deep for the first time this season to begin the bottom of the inning then Steward Berroa tripled before scoring on a Jimenez sacrifice fly that put the Canadians ahead 6-3.

Four runs on five walks and a two-RBI single from Jimenez – his third hit of the night – in the bottom of the eighth put the game away as Jol Concepcion (S, 4) got the last six outs to secure a 10-3 win.

All nine starters reached base and eight of nine had a hit. Jimenez logged four RBI for the second consecutive game while Hiraldo finished with three runs batted in. Vancouver’s offense has combined for 23 runs on 25 hits in their last two games.

With the win, the C’s improved to a league-best 9-6 in the second half and are back to .500 on the year with a 39-39 record.

They’ll look to match a season-long winning streak by seeking their fourth win tomorrow night in game two of the series. #7 Blue Jays prospect Sem Robberse will start opposite Hillsboro’s Luke Albright at 7:05 p.m. as part of an RBC We Care Wednesday. Coverage can be found on CanadiansBaseball.com, MiLB.TV and Sportsnet 650.