VANCOUVER, BC — The Vancouver Canadians, the Toronto Blue Jays Single-A farm team, have moved within one game of a tie in first place in the Northwest League West Division with their 4-1 win over the Eugene Emeralds on Tuesday night.
The Emeralds (22-10) jumped out to a 21-4 record, but have struggled to get back on the winning track — only winning one out of their last seven games. It has seemed as if the defense has struggled in late innings and once again that was the case last night.
Eugene, who represents the San Diego Padres in the Single-A short season, jumped out to a 1-0 in the third inning and held the lead until the seventh when the Canadians (21-11) rallied for four runs.
The run in the top of the third was scored off of a RBI-single to center field by Zach Kometani, which brought Jorge Minyety home from third base.
The RBI for Kometani was his 16th on the season.
Emeralds relief pitcher Luis De La Cruz entered the game with one out in the bottom of the seventh and with Vancouver’s Randy Schwartz on second base, and was looking to close out the game for Eugene.
De La Cruz struggled from the beginning, and allowed three singles to the first three batters he faced — which led to Vancouver’s first two runs of the game and then walked the fourth batter he faced.
After a fly-out to center field the Canadians scored two more runs when Balbino Fuenmayor hit a line-drive to left field — scoring both Chris Schaeffer and Yeico Aponte — both of which reached on singles.
With the 4-1 lead Vancouver put in closer Bryan Longpre and he closed the game out and earned his second save of the season.
Short stop Jace Peterson, a first round pick in this year’s draft, led the offense for the Emeralds finishing the game 2-for-4 at the plate.
The Emeralds and Canadians will close out the five-game series in British Columbia today.
Alan K. Fox can be reached at alanfoxjr@gmail.com and on Twitter @alankfox
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