September 10, 2011
The Canadians battled back against the top team in the Northwest and will try to clinch the title tonight
If last Sunday’s playoff series opener against the Eugene Emeralds was to be any indication of the C’s playoff hopes, most fans at The Nat would have predicted bidding goodbye to 2011 with a whimper and a limp. Few baseball fans would blame them. After barely finding a spot in the playoffs and dropping their final road series with little offensive output, Vancouver stumbled from their first contest with Eugene being thoroughly out pitched and out hit and with the next two must-win games in unfriendly territory.
Jesse Hernandez stares down the barrel against Eugene’s Zach Kometani
Enter Jesse Hernandez and the Vancouver bullpen. Hernandez allowed only one run over four innings of work backed by solid innings from Tyler Ybarra, Aleson Escalante and Bryan Longpre who combined to allow only two more runs over the next five frames. Meanwhile, the C’s offense exploded with 10 runs on 10 hits including a 3 run bomb from Jonathon Berti setting the stage for a deciding game at PK Park.
The final would feature a start from 2010 1st rounder Aaron Sanchez who was golden through four and two-thirds allowing only one hit and keeping the Emeralds well away from the scoreboard. Although Eugene would chip away at the 5 run lead that Vancouver had built it was a clutch none out, bases loaded, 9th inning stand by closer Drew Permison that punched the C’s ticket to the finals.
And so, having sealed the upset and exorcised their road woes from the second half, the Canadians put recent Bluefield call-up Ajay Meyer on the bump in Tri-City to take on the Dust Devils. Out of the blocks Vancouver never Tri-City see a lead, pulling away in the sixth inning with two runs that would cement the 6-3 final score and send the series to Vancouver needing just a victory to claim the league Championship.
Blake McFarland will look to seal the C’s Championship bid tonight
Tonight Nat Bailey Stadium will play host to one of the biggest games in Vancouver Baseball history as Blake McFarland takes to the mound to try and clinch the title against Christian Bergman and the Tri-City side. The game will be broadcast online at www.canadiansbaseball.com and on air on The Team 1410 radio station with Rob Fai calling all the excitement.
On behalf of the jaysprospects.com team and ball fans across the Lower Mainland I’d like to wish the C’s the best of luck. Go Canadians Go!