Locally the Vancouver Canadians kick-off the 75th season off on the road play against the Tri-City Dust Devils (LAA) that saw them drop their second consecutive loss and their first shutout loss of the season being blanked 1-0
Tri-City wasted little time getting the only run it would need giving the C’s a loss in the second inning Dust Devils used a home run from Juan Flores against starter Daniel Guerra (L, 0-1) to start the scoring and provide the eventual game-winning hit. It was the second consecutive night Flores turned his bat into a dagger against Vancouver.
The C’s offense could do little against #1 Angels prospect Tyler Bremner, who made his pro debut after he was selected second overall last year.
They managed one hit – a Manny Beltre single – and one walk in three innings before the Dust Devils went to the bullpen.
Vancouver had its first opportunity to tie the game or take the lead in the fourth. Arjun Nimmala legged out an infield single and stole second before a pair of two-out walks loaded the bases, but all three runners would be stranded after an inning-ending strikeout.
In the fifth, Quebec native Mathieu Vallee laced a one-out single to right field for his first affiliated pro hit then stole a base. He was balked to third with two outs, though that’s as far as he would advance in the frame.
The largest missed opportunity of the night came in the eighth. Vallee led off with a double and JR Freethy worked a four-pitch walk to put two on with nobody out.
A foul out and a lineout preceded a walk to load the bases, but another K cut the rally short with no runs coming across before the C’s went down in order in the ninth to lose the game and the series.
On the mound, Guerra looked strong despite getting the loss. The right-hander went 4.1 innings, scattered four hits – three singles and the Flores homer – with one walk and six strikeouts before Danny Thompson Jr. (3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K) and Jonathan Todd (0.1 IP, 1 K) kept the Dust Devils at bay the rest of the way.
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For the first five seasons of the High-A era, the Canadians have enjoyed beating up on the Tri-City Dust Devils (LAA). This weekend, the script was flipped.
Vancouver suffered its third consecutive loss to the future Halos on Sunday afternoon at Gesa Stadium, a 7-5 defeat that was two outs away from a 5-4 win.
With the game tied 4-4 to begin the ninth, a two-out walk to Alexis Hernandez set the table for Carter Cunningham.
Hitless up to that point, the Haymarket, VA native drove a 2-1 pitch from Keythel Key (W, 1-0) into the left centrefield gap to give the C’s their first lead since the middle innings on Friday.
That lead lasted all of four batters into the bottom of the ninth. Juanmi Vasquez (L, 0-1) – who navigated a scoreless eighth to keep the game even at four – struck out the first batter of the frame before surrendering consecutive singles to put runners at the corners. The game ended on the very next pitch;
Dust Devils first baseman Ryan Nicholson clobbered a walk-off home run to right field that turned a 5-4 lead into a 7-5 defeat.
At the outset, the C’s didn’t look as though they’d be in a position to lose the game in that fashion.
Tri-City raced out to a 4-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning and stretched Vancouver’s scoreless streak to 16.2 innings dating back to Friday.
But the offense began to show signs of life in the sixth. Cunningham was hit by a pitch, Maddox Latta singled and a fielder’s choice put runners at the corners before Manny Beltre lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 4-1.
Two more runs scored in the seventh. A one-out single from Brennan Orf, a walk by JR Freethy and an infield hit courtesy of Alexis Hernandez loaded the bases before a wild pitch brought in the second C’s run of the game. Cunningham added another with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to one.
In the eighth, Beltre belted the first homer of his High-A career to tie the game, setting up the rollercoaster of emotions in the ninth.
Newcomer Mason Olson made his C’s debut in relief, tossing 3.1 innings of one-run ball in which he scattered two hits, a walk and three Ks then handed the ball to Carson Pierce.
The righty logged a scoreless inning in his first competitive action since August 11, 2024.
With the loss, the C’s are 0-3 to start the season for the second time in the High-A era after dropping three in a row to Spokane (COL) in 2024.
They’ll aim for their first win of the year on Opening Night at The Nat, which is set for this Tuesday, April 7 at 7:05 p.m. opposite the 3-0 Eugene Emeralds (SF). MLB Pipeline’s #4 Blue Jays prospect Johnny King takes the ball in the home opener.
Get tickets at CanadiansBaseball.com and follow the action on Sportsnet 650, Bally Sports Live and @vancanadians across social.
