logo
Minor League Report: Vancouver Canadians book trip to third consecutive Northwest League Final with a walk-off win
alt
Ryley Delaney
Sep 6, 2024, 08:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 6, 2024, 09:37 EDT
Comments
There’ll only be one team in the Toronto Blue Jays organization playing playoff baseball this season.
On Thursday, the Vancouver Canadians clinched a ticket to the Northwest League Championship Series for the third consecutive year. Moreover, two other teams picked up a win on Thursday.
Let’s dig into all of that in the latest Minor League Report

Vancouver clinched a finals appearance with a walk-off win

Once again, the Vancouver Canadians will head to the Northwest League Championship Series, as they defeated the Eugene Emeralds 4-3 with a walk-off win.
This is the third consecutive season the Canadians will play in the league finals. In 2022, they lost to the Emeralds in three close games that included three Dasan Brown home runs. After dominating much of 2023, they dispatched the Everett AquaSox in four games (best of five).
In the bottom of the first, the Canadians took a 3-0 lead. First off was a Jace Bohrofen home run, his 14th of the season. The other two runs were scored thanks to a Je’Von Ward ground out and a Brennan Orf single. The Emeralds had their own three-run inning in the top of the fifth.
Heading into the Canadian’s half of the ninth, the game was tied at three with a trip to the NWLCS on the line. The Canadians needed a win as the Hillsboro Hops also won, and it started off well as Orf reached on an error. Replacing Canadian Bryce Arnold was Jackson Hornung, who reached on a single. Nicolas Deschamps flew out, but Bohrofen walked to load the bases with one out.
Reminiscent of how the Blue Jays defeated the Texas Rangers in the 2016 American League Divisional Series (The Donaldson Dash), Adrian Pinto grounded out, with the Emeralds getting the runner at home. However, the throw to first was bobbled, allowing Jamari Baylor to score and clinch the postseason spot.
In total, the Canadians had six hits. Two of those came from Peyton Williams, who had two singles. Nicolas Deschamps and Brennan Orf also had a single, while Jace Bohrofen hit a home run and Jay Harry hit a double.
As for pitching, Connor O’Halloran started the game, finishing with a line of 5 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 8 K to bring his ERA in High-A to 7.06. Geison Urbaez pitched the remaining four innings, striking out five as he didn’t allow a base runner.

Buffalo shut out Lehigh

The Buffalo Bisons picked up a win on Thursday, defeating the Lehigh Valley IronPigs 8-0 to bring their second-half record to 24-36.
There were no home runs in this game, but Steward Berroa hit his third triple of the season, while Rafael Lantigua, Jonatan Clase, and Alan Roden each hit a double. Berroa and Nick Raposo had a two-hit performance, while Josh Kasevich and Riley Tirotta each had a single.
Pitching was solid for the Bisons, with Andrew Bash starting the game, pitching two innings with three strikeouts. Dillon Tate made his organizational debut, pitching a clean inning with a strikeout. Paxton Schultz picked up the win, striking out two in three innings of work. Hayden Juenger pitched an inning and two-thirds with two walks and two strikeouts, while Mason Fluharty struck out two over an inning and a third.

New Hampshire’s three-game streak ended

The New Hampshire had a mini three-game winning streak on the go, but that was snapped on Thursday as they fell 4-2 to the Portland Sea Dogs.
It’s not unusual to say that the Fisher Cats’ bats were cold, and that was the case Thursday. In total, they had five hits – all singles, from Dasan Brown, Ryan McCarty, Yohendrick Piñango, Garrett Spain, and Gabriel Martinez. Moreover, Devonte Brown, McCarty, Piñango, and Robert Brooks all walked once.
Devereaux Harrison started the game for the Fisher Cats, allowing an earned run and four walks in five innings but striking out six. Trent Palmer allowed three runs, two earned, in an inning and a third pitched. Adrián Hernández walked a batter in a scoreless inning and two-thirds, while Johnathan Lavallee struck out two in a scoreless inning.

Dunedin won 5-3

The Dunedin Blue Jays were scheduled to play two games on Thursday. One game was completed, as they defeated the Tampa Tarpons 5-3 in nine innings (extras). Their second game was suspended in the bottom of the first with the D-Jays leading 2-0. For simplicity’s sake, let’s just look at the 5-3 win.
Despite the five runs the D-Jays put up on the board, they were held to just three hits. However, Nick Mitchell hit his fourth home run since being drafted, while Sean Keys hit his fourth double. Moreover, J.R. Freethy hit his first professional home run in the top of the ninth, giving the D-Jays a 5-2 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
Adam Macko made the start in a rehab outing, striking out seven in four innings of work. Ryan Boyer also pitched a rehab outing, striking out three and giving up a run in an inning of work. Bennett Flynn gave up an earned run in an inning of work, while Eliander Alcalde struck out two in two innings of work. Yondrei Rojas picked up his sixth save of the season, striking out the side in an inning of work while allowing an unearned run.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

News

Breaking News