VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians came back late to take the win 8-7 in the first game of the Northwest League Championship Series against the Eugene Emeralds (SF) Tuesday night at The Nat. Eugene scored in the second and added one more to their lead in the third. The C’s would plate one run in the bottom of the third before Austin Smith crushed a grand slam in the fifth to give the C’s a two-run lead. Following the Canadians’ scoring surge, Eugene responded with four in the top of the sixth. In the home half, the Canadians tied it up before they brought in the go-ahead tally in the eighth to go in front for good.

The Emeralds started the scoring in the second with an unearned run then a double plated their second of the inning. They scored one more in the third on consecutive hits to start the stanza and take a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the frame, Ryan Sprock doubled and advanced to third on a Jake Casey single. Maddox Latta came up next and hit a sacrifice fly to plate the C’s first run of the inning and make the score 3-1.

In the fifth, the Canadians filled the bases with walks. Smith stepped up to bat with two outs and hammered a ball 392 feet over the right field wall for a grand slam that put the Canadians ahead 5-3.

After Vancouver’s big inning, the Emeralds responded with a three-run home run, followed by another run, to make it 7-5. In the bottom of the frame, David Calabrese led off with a triple then consecutive doubles from Jaxson West and JoJo Parker tied the game 7-7.

In the bottom of the eighth, West sparked the eventual game-winning rally when he singled with one out. Up stepped Parker, whose 106 MPH single to centre kicked up on the centrefielder and turned into an error that placed two men in scoring position. Sprock would then plate West with a sacrifice fly to give the C’s the lead by one.

Bradley Wilson (S, 1) entered in the ninth. He walked the first man he faced but retired the next three – including two by strikeout – to lock down the game one win.

8 Blue Jays prospect Dasan Hill got the start. He worked for two innings, gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits, walked none and struck out four. Holden Wilkerson came on in the third for relief. After giving up a run shortly after entering, the Roanoke, VA native kept his middle innings scoreless before he would give up four runs in the sixth. His final line: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 K.

Jack Eshleman (W, 1-0) relieved Wilkerson in the sixth. He kept the remainder of the game scoreless, giving up just one hit in 2.1 innings with no walks and two strikeouts.

The Canadians and Emeralds continue the Northwest League Championship Series tomorrow when Troy Guthrie gets the start against his counterpart, left-hander Jordan Gottesman. First pitch at The Nat is slated at 7:05 p.m.

Playoff tickets are on sale at CanadiansBaseball.com or by calling 604-872-5232. Follow the C’s on social via @vancanadians.