C's Avoid No-No, Lose 3-1

VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians were held hitless until the bottom of the ninth in a 3-1 loss to the Hillsboro Hops [AZ] in front of a near-sellout crowd at The Nat.

Trailing 3-0 after eight and without a baserunner since the first batter of the bottom of the first, the C’s sent Alexis Hernandez to the plate looking to spoil Hillsboro’s second no-hitter in franchise history. Hernandez slashed a single in between the first baseman and the bag to put Vancouver’s second runner of the afternoon on base before Bryce Arnold joined him after getting hit by a pitch. JR Freethy came up next and laced a base hit through the hole at shortstop to load the bases with nobody out.

After a pitching change, Carter Cunningham ended the shutout with a line drive to centre that was caught for a sacrifice fly. That, however, would be the only run the C’s could muster; a borderline strike three call and a fielder’s choice ended the game with the Hops on top 3-1.

Vancouver had no answer for #13 D-Backs prospect Daniel Eagen (W, 6-5), who retired 18 straight after issuing a lead-off walk in the first. He struck out 10 men to mimic the effort from C’s starter and #5 Blue Jays prospect Gage Stanifer (L, 1-5), who matched a career high with 10 Ks of his own over five complete to take the tough-luck loss.

The series continues tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.