The Top 5 Vancouver Canadians Games In 2023

Photo Credit Vancouver Canadians

As we reach the Christmas Holidays we reached out to the Vancouver Canadians for a perspective from this past season in their highlight reel.

Without missing any of the bases we round third or December heading to home to bring another Championship season of exciting Vancouver Canadians Baseball.

Enjoy the first of two articles submitted by Tyler Zickle, Media Relations/Play by Play.

The Top 5 Vancouver Canadians Games In 2023

Highlights from a season’s worth of remarkable moments that culminated in a championship

With the holiday season in full swing and Christmas just hours away, what better time to add to the festive spirit with a look back at the best games from the championship-winning 2023 season for the Vancouver Canadians? 

In honor of the fifth Northwest League championship for the C’s since becoming a Blue Jays affiliate in 2011 (and the five golden rings from the classic carol), here are the top five Canadians games from the year that was.

#5 – Walk-Off City, North America (Multiple dates)

It may not be “best practices” to start an allegedly definitive list with a hedge, but here we are. The Canadians were the masters of late inning drama and intrigue this year; their 12 walk-off wins were far and away the most in the league and among leaders in all affiliated baseball. 

From the first win of the year in the home opener on a game-winning wild pitch to Garrett Spain’s walk-off blast to cap a two-homer game in late August, all 12 are deserving of some shine. But if we had to pick one? It could only be the 2-1 win in 12 innings over Everett on July 25. 

After the game remained scoreless through 11 (and the C’s without a hit), the Frogs broke through for two in the top of the twelfth. 

Two outs away from being on the wrong end of history, the Canadians used consecutive singles from Devonte Brown and Michael Turconi to beat the AquaSox in what was the longest game innings-wise all season – though it still finished in two hours and 58 minutes.

#4 – Combined No-No at Funko (June 10)

In a year full of dominant pitching performances – the C’s led the league with a 3.62 team ERA – the efforts of Devereaux Harrison and Matt Svanson in game two of a doubleheader at Everett two weeks before the end of the first half proved historic. 

Harrison set the tone with six hitless frames; he retired the first seven batters of his night before issuing a one-out walk in the third, which he promptly erased with a little help from right-fielder Garrett Spain on a 9-3 double play. 

At one point he struck out five in a row and finished with a career-best eight Ks before Svanson slammed the door in the seventh to secure a 2-0 win and the first no-hitter for Vancouver since digital record keeping began in 2005.

#3 – Summer of Spain begins (June 7)

Second-year Canadian Garrett Spain was one of the stories of the season. He posted career numbers while authoring many of the most dramatic moments of the year; it seemed like any time the game was on the line, number 13 was at the plate. 

That was the case three days before the no-hitter at Funko Field in Everett. Spain came to the plate with the C’s trailing the ‘Sox 5-4 after the inning began with a single, two quick outs, a bloop knock, an RBI double and a hit by pitch. 

The 15th rounder out of Austin Peay State worked the count to 1-1 then took Everett’s elite closer Michael Flynn deep to centerfield for a no-doubter that put the C’s in front 8-5.

It was his second homer of the game; he went back-to-back with breakout Blue Jays prospect Alan Roden to begin the fourth when the Canadians were down 5-0 and added an infield single in the sixth and an RBI double in the eighth to finish his night 4-for-5 – the most hits he’s ever recorded in a game – with 11 total bases (also a new pro high) and a career-best six RBI. 

It was his first professional grand slam and the second time he hit two bombs in one game as a pro to lead the Canadians to an 8-5 triumph.

Part Two December 25th – MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM SPORTSWAVE AND THE VANCOUVER CANADIANS!!!