Vancouver Canadians win fifth championship in franchise history
On Saturday night at Vancouver’s Nat Bailey Park, a group of Toronto Blue Jays prospects delivered a night they ā and the local fanbase ā will likely never forget.
Facing off in Game 4 of a best-of-5 matchup in the Northwest League Championship Series against the Everett AquaSox, Vancouver carried a 2-1 series lead into last night’s game.
And the Blue Jays’ High-A affiliate didn’t exactly make their fans sweat for much of the championship-clinching contest.
While anything can happen in baseball, Vancouver scored the first seven runs of the game after four innings, ultimately clinching the title with a 10-2 victory on their home turf.
šššTHE FINAL OUT ššš pic.twitter.com/CBufH9sWhM
— Vancouver Canadians (@vancanadians) September 17, 2023
It’s the fifth title in franchise history, with the team winning three straight Northwest League crowns from 2011 to 2013 and winning again in 2017.
Six thousand four hundred and thirteen fans were in attendance on Saturday for the clinching victory.
Vancouver used four different pitchers on the day, including four innings of relief from Anders Tolhurst, who was credited with the victory.
“It feels amazing,” said third baseman Cade Doughty, per MLB.com’s Ben Weinrib. “I mean, we’ve worked so hard this year. Just to come out on top is a really special feeling with a great group of guys. It was a great season.”
But Doughty and the Canadians don’t plan to stop winning any time soon.
“We’ve got a great group,” Doughty said. “We’re going to keep winning and doing our thing. I’m going to enjoy this as much as I can with the fellas and the family and the people that I’ve made relationships with. I’m just fired up for tonight and really blessed.”