Ronny Brito walked in the eighth and worked his way around the bases until Eric Rivera’s RBI single brought him home.  With that, the Vancouver Canadians took the lead back and held on for the win over the Hillsboro Hops, 3-2.

Home Plate Almost Untouchable

The game could not have been more tight with the biggest lead at any one time limited to just a single run.  Despite 33 base runners total for both teams, home plate had a lid on it.  The few times a runner scored, it was just as surprising as it was exciting.

The Hops took first honors when Jorge Barrosa started off the top of the third with a walk and then used consecutive singles by Dom Canzone and Tristin English to move him around the bases, scoring on English’ RBI single.  The Hops held the one run lead for two innings.

The fifth inning saw eight different Canadians’ batters come to the plate.  The only surprise was that more runs were not scored.  With one out, Davis Schneider sent a solo blast for the game’s second extra base hit and tied the game.  Another reason for the low scoring of tonight’s game?  Of the 18 hits from both sides, 15 of them were singles.

Taking a Walk

The next batter, Eric Rivera, walked but it would take three more batters to help him make the round trip.  A single, a walk and another single propelled him around the diamond and home to take the lead for the first time.

The walk became a familiar motif for scoring.  In the sixth, Eduardo Diaz led off with a walk and waited three more batters before he could touch home.  It also tied the game for the second time.  After that, the Hops were empty.  Except for Andy Yerzy getting hit on the left arm at the plate, Blaze Alexander’s fielder’s choice was the only other time a Hops’ batter reached base.

Ronny Brito One of Twelve Walks in Game

But, the Canadians still needed a run to take the lead.  They managed that in eighth when Ronny Brito started the inning with his walk.  By the time the game ended, 29 more base runners were either left on base (21), picked off (2) , erased by a double play (2), fielder’s choice (2), caught stealing (1) or struck by a ground ball (1, automatic out)

Hi-Octane Pitching

Pitching deserved some of the credit but not all of it.  Starting pitcher for the Canadians, Luis Quinones, held the Hops to one run in the first four innings but it took him 84 pitches to do it.

Ronny Brito, Spencer Horwitz Threaten in the Second

Hops starter, Blake Walston, kept the Canadians off the board until he ran out of gas in the fifth.  Though back to back singles by Spencer Horwitz and Ronny Brito threatened in the second inning, it was trying to stay long enough for a quality start that proved his undoing.  Struggling to end the fifth inning so he could qualify for the win, he gave up two runs, including Schneider’s solo shot.

However, it was what followed that chased him from the mound.  After getting DJ Neal to fly out and Schneider’s home run, it seemed to take the last bit of gas out of the tank.  Walston remained for four more batters but he was running on fumes.  After a walk, single, walk and a single, Vince Harrison pulled his starter after 103 pitches.

Ronny Brito Chased Hops Relievers

Relievers Wesley Rodriguez and Ty Jones held their own though Jones ran into trouble in the ninth when he allowed three hits.  But, the loss was handed to Denson Hull (L, 0-2).  The Ronny Brito score in the eighth inning did him in.

Brandon Eisert Takes Win

Canadians’ relievers told the opposite story.  Brandon Eisert (W, 5-1) came on for three innings and allowed the Hops to tie the game but with his team’s eighth inning heroics, earned the win.  Justin Maese (S, 4) retired all six batters he faced to preserve the win.

Standings

The win helped the Vancouver Canadians gain a game on league leading Everett who lost tonight and now sit nine games back.  The loss kept the Hops at 15 games back of Everett but Tri City, the only team below them in the standings and are the team who beat Everett, is now only a game and a half behind the Hops.

The Canadians take the first game in the series and lead 1-0.  Both teams meet Wednesday night for game two.  You can watch on MiLB.tv, listen on 620 AM radio or follow me on Twitter for half inning updates.

Box Score

By

Greg Stoker

@GDStoker