Gm 9: C's show spark in 3-1 loss to Hillsboro

(Ron Tonkin Field - Hillsboro, OR) - The 8th inning of Saturday night's game might have been a microcosm of the Canadians season through nine games as Vancouver had two runners on-base with no one out and couldn't score any of them before allowing a pair of runs in the home half of the inning shortly after both 2B Ronny Brito and manager Casey Candaele had been ejected. When the dust settled on Ron Tonkin Field, Hillsboro found a way to get the best of the Canadians 3-1, sending Vancouver to a 6th loss in just nine games this season.
Canadians starter RHP William Gaston and Hops right-hander Adrian Del Morel were both sharp early as the first three innings took well under an hour to play with both teams trading scoreless frames. The game's first run came in the bottom of the 4th when Hops 2B Steven Layton hit his first home run of the season over the left field fence off Gaston who would go 5 2/3 innings allowing just this run. Vancouver responded in the top of the 5th with its only run of the night - CF Dominic Abbadessa tripled to center and scored on a sacrifice fly from 3B Davis Schneider tying the game at 1-1.
Fast forward to the top of the 8th inning, and with a runner at first (DH Tanner Morris walk) and second (Davis Schneider double) and no one out for the Canadians, RHP Erin Baldwin would proceed to strike out both 1B Trevor Schwecke and SS Luis De Los Santos before he was lifted for LHP Trevor McKenna to face Vancouver's RF Will Robertson who he walked to load the bases. McKenna would go to a full count with 2B Ronny Brito who heading into his at-bat in the 8th was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. A borderline pitch was called a strike by home plate umpire Andrew Clark stranding all three runners on-base and sending the game to the bottom of the 8th still tied at 1-1.
Angered by the call, Brito was ejected by Clark which brought C's manager Casey Candaele out onto the field where after a heated discussion he too was ejected. The momentum shift was palpable, and Hillsboro wasted little time utilizing it.
In the bottom of the 8th inning with LHP Grayson Huffman on the mound - a first pitch fastball was hit back up the middle off the bat of Hops SS Ricky Martinez. 2B Steven Layton drew a walk and 1B Andy Yerzy smacked a single to center that scored Martinez which proved to be the winning RBI. A groundout from LF Jesus Marriaga ended up doubling off Yerzy but it scored Layton from third base extending the lead to 3-1, which was the final.
Notes: Canadians were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight on-base... Canadians 1B Trevor Schwecke saw his five-game hitting streak come to an end going 0-for-4... Hops RF Kristian Robinson had his six-game hitting streak also come to a conclusion.
With the loss, Vancouver falls to 3-6 (.333) on the season, while Hillsboro improves to 5-4 (.555). The Canadians fall four games back of Spokane who shutout Boise to move to 7-2 (.778) through nine games.
Vancouver sends RHP Gabriel Ponce (0-0, 3.60) to the mound on Sunday opposite Deyni Olivero (1-0, 0.00) in a Sunday matinee that is set for 4:05pm.
Vancouver Canadians Baseball returns to Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium on Friday, June 28th to open a six-game homestand with tickets available at www.canadiansbaseball.com, by calling 604.872.5232 or visiting the Nat Bailey Stadium Box Office at 4601 Ontario Street, Vancouver, B.C.  
Sunday's game can be heard on Sportsnet 650 with the A&B Tool Rentals Pre-Game show set for 3:30pm and Canadian Tire Canadians Baseball live from Ron Tonkin Field to air at 4:05pm. 
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