Cannons Sweep Twins 

Stefan Helyar and Bradley Smith both fired blanks as the Junior Cannons ended their regular reason in style, notching a pair of wins over the North Shore Twins at Parkgate. 

Stefan went the distance, surviving eight walks and striking out six as the Cannons won the opener 7-4.  Nick Favaro’s double ignited a two-run seventh that iced the victory and Stefan helped his cause with a pair of hits.  Geoffrey Legg, who gets on base more than McDonald’s sells Big Macs, singled and walked three times, Ian Creamore added a hit and two walks of his own and also drove in a run, Markus Helyar and Cole Masik each had RBI’s, and Ethan Taylor ante’d up with a single and a walk. 

That set the stage for southpaw Smith, who finished the season throwing the best he has all year.  Bradley struck out eight and scattered six hits on the way to a 4-2 win in the wrap-up.  Legg struck out the last hitter on a curveball for the save. 

The Cannons picked up all their runs in the fifth when Landon White singled and Markus doubled.  At which point Legg and Creamore stepped up in the clutch when Geoffrey singled, driving in one run, and Ian came through with a knock for the game-winning RBI’s. 

 Markus and Bradley Lead Home Run Parade

It must be something about the air in Kelowna.  It invigorates hitters.  The Junior Cannons pounded out 49 hits and scored 37 runs over four games as they split their series with the Okanagan Athletics at the cozy park in Rutland. 

It started fairly slowly in game one…but then came the fourth inning and the Cannons exploded like a Super Nova, scoring 14 runs.  When the dust settled Vancouver led 20-1 after two touchdowns and a pair of field goals. 

Lefty Bradley Smith made like Babe Ruth and popped a grand slam over the right field fence and Markus Helyar, getting pitches to hit and swinging the bat the best he has all year, crushed a two-run shot over the left field wall.  Markus finished with four knocks, including a double, and drove in quadruple runs. 

The onslaught was relentless.  Landon White had three hits, Ian Creamore and Josh Gaudette both drove in three runs, Ryan McGee chipped in with two more RBI’s, Cole Masik crossed the plate three times after a single and two walks and Joey Burgess scored twice and drove in another. 

Just to prove you always start at zero, zero, the Junior Cannons lost the second game 6-5 to the resilient A’s.  Markus continued as hot as a flamethrower with two RBI’s on two hits, Geoffrey Legg and Nick Favaro both added a pair of singles, White pocketed two more RBI’s, and McGee doubled. 

Both of the Sunday games were tight but the hits kept falling like spring rain.  The Cannons took the opener 7-6 with White, showing outstanding power, ripping a double and collecting three knocks.  Legg and Markus were at it again, both notching two hits, Gaudette drove in a pair, Creamore singled, walked and added an RBI, and Stefan Helyar and Burgess drove in one each. 

Finally, the Cannons succumbed to the heat and dropped a 9-5 decision in the wrap-up, despite collecting 11 hits. White, who hammered all weekend,  paced that assault with three ropes and three more RBI’s, Creamore chipped in with three knocks of his own, and Markus Helyar, making like Barry Bonds, put the icing on the cake with another massive home run.

 Gaudette Hammers Inside the Park HR 

Josh Gaudette is as solid as concrete in centerfield for the Cannons and he has enormous potential as a hitter.  Apparently, he can also run a bit.  Josh blasted an inside the park home run as the Senior Cannons put the finishing touch to their season in style at Parkgate by knocking off the Parksville Royals 11-2. 

This was the make-up game for the rainout on the Island and the Cannons were unable to take BP because the Royals were playing an earlier doubleheader against the Twins. 

Maybe they should deep six BP more often because the Cannons came out blasting.  Besides Gaudette’s histrionics, Max Wood went two-for-three with a pair of RBI’s and two walks, Luc Hamel delivered a single and crushed a double for an RBI, Alex Bott added two knocks, including another double, Mister Durability Mike Orosz drove in two runs with a double, Brandon Favaro legged out a triple, and Connor Noble, Taylor Ginnetti and Byron Prasad each chipped in with singles. 

Trevor Anderson showed he was ready to go full tilt again with four innings on the hill, giving up only two hits while fanning four, and Brandon Marklund closed the door with four K’s and only one hit in the final three frames.  

Marklund Loses a Toughie

The Cannons have had enough of Vancouver Island.  Better they should go to Antarctica to play the Penguin Snowball Tournament.  On the road the C’s lost 3-2 and 10-0 to Nanaimo and then dropped a 4-1 decision to Parksville.  Luckily, the second half of that doubleheader was rained out. 

Grade 10 righthander Brandon Marklund posted a blue chip performance in the opener at Serauxman, giving up only three hits while he fanned five over six and a third.  But Justin Clarkson drilled a double in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Luc Hamel to collect the walk-off win for the Pirates.  Max Wood was the bright spot forVancouver at the plate with a pair of hits. 

Connor Noble’s double was about all the Cannons could muster in game two. 

The next day Noble threw five innings in Parksville, striking out five, Brandon Favaro notched two hits and Byron Prasad added a knock but the Royals prevailed in the light rain.  

For Noble the Price is Right

Connor Noble has become the David Price of the Cannons pitching staff.  Put him on the mound and you’re odds-on favorite to post a W.  Connor did his thing against Parksville at Queen’s, tossing a brilliant one-hit shutout, striking out seven and allowing only two walks, as the Cannons stopped the Royals 7-0.  Luc Hamel closed in the seventh with one K. 

Taylor Ginnetti delivered at the plate with a pair of timely hits that drove in two runs.  Ian Creamore added two singles and Josh Gaudette, Geoffrey Legg, Max Wood and Hamel all had solo knocks.   

The Cannons swept the DH, clipping the Royals 6-3 in game two. Noble, a natural hitter who seldom takes BP because he’s primarily a pitcher, hammered a pair of hits, including a double, and drove in a run.  Creamore, Wood and Byron Prasad each pushed a run home. 

Lefty Trevor Anderson, who has been sideline much of the year with an injury and greatly missed, was back in the saddle and looking very solid.  He shared the victory with Brandon Marklund and Bradley Smith and together they struck out seven. 

The Cannons didn’t fare so well against the North Delta Blue Jays, dropping a 9-1 decision.  Mike Orosz did pop a double and Gaudette and Hamel both had base knocks.

Running Backwards

The Junior Cannons can be as streaky as a windshield and they proved that against the Nanaimo Pirates.  After winning six straight the Juniors dropped five in a row, starting with four losses to the Pirates, plus another to the Twins. 

On the Island the Pirates posted 9-2 and 7-4 victories.  The Cannons couldn’t generate much offence but  Geoffrey Legg went 2-for-3 in the opener, plus a walk.  Ethan Taylor drilled a single and walked twice in the second game and Armand Ewusie and Bradley Smith both drove in runs. 

Back home at Queen’s it was more of the same as the Pirates notched 4-2 and 11-0 wins.  Markus Helyar did grab a couple of hits in the first game and Mighty Mite Taylor took time out from being a jockey to collect a pair of singles in the nightcap.  But that was about all she wrote. 

To top it off the Cannons then lost 6-4 to the arch rival Twins even though Max Wood notched two knocks, walked, and drove in a run, Josh Gaudette also had a pair of hits and a base on balls, Nick Favaro picked up two RBI’s, and Legg singled, walked and added an RBI.  The Cannons actually out-hit the Twins but nine walks were too much to overcome. 

Electric Wood, Consistent Noble

Righthander Max Wood has an electric arm.  Max has enormous potential on the mound (as well as at the plate) and all he has to do is tame his erratic command.  The best example of Woody’s potential was on display in Victoria when he absolutely dominated the Mariners. 

Max, who is only in grade 10, handcuffed the M’s on one hit, striking out five and only walking three, the key to his success.  What’s more he only had to throw five innings as the Cannons shutout Victoria 12-0. 

Stefan Helyar, up from the juniors, led the assault, driving in three runs with a pair of hits.  Shortstop Luc Hamel, who has been the steadiest Cannon all season long, added another pair of knocks and an RBI.  Slugging catcher Mike Orosz chipped in with two ribbies and Wood, Alex Cyr, Brandon Favaro and Byron Prasad all drove in runs.  Justin Gadey, who hasn’t had a chance to visit the plate very much, delivered another base hit. 

Earlier, the M’s out-blasted the Cannons 11-8, despite an out-burst from Orosz, the Vancouver MVP this season.  Mike drilled three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs.  Hamel, who just keeps improving at the plate, went three-for-three with an RBI. 

On another good note, Selects ace Connor Noble, Mister Consistency, fanned 10 White Rock Tritons on the way to a 3-2 victory.  Noble allowed only five hits over seven innings, walked absolutely no one, and threw just 96 pitches for another of his blue chip performances. 

Second baseman Byron Prasad, who has been swinging it better and better, delivered two hits, including a triple, and an RBI.  Hamel, Favaro and Orosz all popped doubles. 

The Tritons took the nightcap 4-0 with only Favaro (two-for-three) and Prasad (single) able to dent the White Rock pitching. 

Tough Luck Bradley

Sometimes Bradley Smith must wonder what he has to do to post a win with the Senior Cannons. 

Earlier this season Bradley fired a one-hitter at the Nanaimo Pirates and still lost.  This time he three-hit Coquitlam, struck out six and walked only two…but the Reds eked out a 3-2 victory. 

The Cannons came back to revenge that one, posting an 11-7 verdict against the Reds as Luc Hamel, Max Wood, Mike Orosz and Geoffrey Legg all chipped in with a pair of hits.  Legg and Brandon Favaro both drove in two runs and Josh Gaudette and Ian Creamore added solo RBI’s. 

But the Cannons lost 8-4 to the Abbotsford Cardinals, despite doubles from Connor Noble, Favaro and Byron Prasad.  

Smith, Helyar, Creamore pick six 

When you get good pitching you are always dangerous and always in the running to put up a winning streak.  

And, with Bradley Smith, Stefan Helyar and Ian Creamore shining like a trio of spotlights at a rock concert, the Junior Cannons got pitching as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar and posted six golden nuggets in a row. 

The Cannons actually lost the opener of their doubleheader with the Whalley Chiefs, dropping a 6-3 decision, despite doubles from Nick Favaro and Cole Masik, a pair of singles by Joey Burgess for two RBI’s, and a run-scoring bang by Creamore.  Jordan Lee scattered nine hits over six innings but only gave up three runs. 

At which point the Junior Cannons put the pedal to the metal. 

Smith started it off by handcuffing the Chiefs on two hits in the second half of the twinbill.  The dominant lefthander fanned a dozen over seven innings and the Cannons had a 3-1 ignition.  Favaro drove in two runs and Creamore doubled. 

Next came the Coquitlam Redlegs.  With Creamore on the hill for a three-hitter, striking out three, the Cannons won the opener 5-3.  Josh Gaudette, Geoffrey Legg and Favaro all roped a pair of base hits and Legg, Stefan, Joey Burgess and Armand Ewusie each drove in a run. 

Game two was a 10-3 Cannons victory as Stefan, Max Wood and the versatile Legg took turns on the mound for a five-hitter with seven K’s.  Ewusie, who has one of the best swings in the league, went two-for-three, scored three times and drove in a run, Wood doubled, Favaro had two RBI’s and third baseman Christian Cullen singled and walked. 

                             There was a break of 18 days as the Cannons went to Reno for a pair of Nevada
                             tournaments.  That included four games at Western Nevada Junior College
                             where the Cannons beat the Twins but lost 3-2 in the final to Seattle’s Enfuego.  

But, when the Junior Cannons returned to the friendly confines of Queen’s Park, the PBL winning streak was back in full gear.  Power righthander Stefan Helyar went to work against the North Delta Blue Jays, firing a blue chip three-hitter and striking out six in an 8-3 victory.  

The Cannons broke slowly in this one but, in the bottom of the fifth, they popped three runs with Legg’s single and Gaudette’s double leading the charge.  Then, in the sixth, doubles from Smith and Ewusie and single knocks by Gaudette and Creamore put it away.  Legg finished with three hits and a walk and Gaudette and Ewusie both drove in three runs. 

Finally, the Victoria Eagles came to town and the Cannons stopped them 10-6 in the opener with Masik allowing only three hits in five and a third.  Creamore had a monster of an afternoon, going three-for-four and driving in three runs.  Ewusie and Landon White both doubled and Smith, Markus Helyar and Armand all had two hits.  Lead-off man Legg did his job, getting on base with a single and a walk and scoring twice.  

That set the stage for Smith to chalk up book end victories.  The power lefthander was simply brilliant as he fired a one-hitter with seven more strikeouts as the Cannons posted a 5-1 win over the Eagles in game two.  Legg collected the save. 

Ewusie, who can fly, tripled in that one and Jordan Lee picked up two hits, including a double, and drove in a pair.  White and Burgess both delivered two hits, Landon scored three times, and Stefan pocketed a two-run double.  

35 Innings on the Island 

Vancouver Island was very unfriendly to the Junior Cannons as they lost three out of four games on the road. 

The Cannons did manage a 9-6 victory over the Victoria Eagles as Ian Creamore and Nick Favaro both went two-for-four with an RBI, Landon White scored three runs, Ryan McGee banged out two hits, and Ethan Taylor drove in two runs with a single.  Reliever Erik Brownell struck out three and gave up only one hit over three innings to salt away the victory.

At which point it looked like the Juniors were ready for a winning weekend.  But the Eagles had other ideas and they outlasted Vancouver 11-9 in the wrap-up, despite a massive Cannons attack, spearheaded by Jordan Lee,  who drove in a pair of runs with two hits.  Favaro also went two-for-five with a double and two RBI’s.  Not to be out-done, Kyle Lee was two-for-four, including an RBI triple, Armand Ewusie doubled and walked twice, Stefan Helyar doubled and his twin brother Markus chipped in with a pair of knocks. 

The next day was The Victoria Marathon, the longest game in Cannons history.    

It went 14 innings before the Victoria Mariners eked out a 9-8 walk -off victory.  Brownell, displaying extreme durability and courage, threw eight more innings in this one, striking out eight and allowing only four hits. 

It was 5-5 after seven but, strangely,  no one could score in extra innings until the dam burst in two directions in the 14th.  In the top half it looked like the Cannons had a hammerlock on the win when Kyle Lee and Favaro both doubled, key hits in a three-run barrage that put Vancouver ahead 8-5.  But the Mariners exploded for four runs with two out in the bottom half to ice it.  Kyle finished with three hits and three RBI’s, plus a base on balls, and McGee drove in a run and walked twice. 

The Cannons ran out of gas in the nightcap, losing 11-4 to the Mariners.  Still, Favaro and the Helyar twins managed a pair of hits each and Bradley Smith doubled and walked. 

Creamore and Favaro Conquor

Ian Creamore may never play in the NBA…but he has the heart of a lion.  And Nick Favaro just keeps on swinging a red hot bat.  

When Creamore (who optimistically stands about 5-7 stretched out on the rack) takes to the bump in the middle of the diamond he competes on all eight cylinders.  For instance, Ian blanked the White Rock Tritons 5-0, giving up only five hits and one walk, pitching to contact, and striking out a pair.  In fact, it was a game for Napolean lookalikes with Kyle Lee driving in a pair of runs and Ethan Taylor adding a single.     

The shutout gave the Cannons a sweep in the doubleheader.  They took the opener 5-3 when Josh Gaudette roped a clutch two-run double in the fourth.  Fleet outfielder Armand Ewusie and shortstop Markus Helyar both had a pair of knocks and Jordan Lee singled to drive in a run and added a base on balls.  On the mound Stefan Helyar struck out five and Erik Brownell notched the save. 

The Cannons made it three wins in a row when they edged the Coquitlam Redlegs 7-6 in a game highlighted by Favaro’s second dinger of the season, a two-run bullet that cleared the right field fence at Queen’s.  Considering he’s only in grade 9, it augers well for Nick’s future prospects as long as he keeps working hard. 

The bottom of the fifth was the key to this one as Ryan McGee, Geoffrey Legg and Creamore all singled, Ewusie walked, Favaro popped a sacrifice fly, Markus Helyar doubled for one RBI, and Bradley Smith’s base hit herded in two more.  McGee finished with a pair of knocks. 

 A Marathon Loss…and a Favaro Blast

One game was a marathon.  The other was not pretty but Nick Favaro made it look much better. 

The Junior Cannons went 11 innings with the Langley Blaze at McLeod before losing a heartbreaker 9-8.  

Smooth swinging Max Wood had himself a monumental day, peppering five hits in seven trips while driving in a pair of runs.  Armand Ewusie added two more knocks, including a double, and Ian Creamore, Landon White and Ryan McGee all added a base hit and a pair of walks. 

Wood also took to the hill and the hard-throwing righthander pitched the first four innings.  Creamore, The Competitor, went the rest of the way, cooling off the Blaze until they ended it with a run in the bottom of the 11th. 

Langley handcuffed the Cannons 10-4 in game two but grade nine catcher Favaro type set a brilliant exclamation point, crushing a line drive home run just inside the right-field foul pole.  Ewusie added two hits, including an RBI double, and Cole Masik and Joey Burgess chipped in with singles. 

The Juniors split with Abbotsford, dropping the opener 9-3 before edging the Cardinals 3-2. 

Favaro and McGee had the only Vancouver hits in game one and Jordan Lee drove in a run.  But Ewusie came through in the nightcap with two knocks and a base on balls, Kyle Lee added two hits for an RBI, Favaro singled and walked twice, and Burgess, who keeps getting better, drove in a run with another base hit.  Righthanders McGee and Ewusie teamed up on the mound, striking out four.

  White and Favaro Hammer

A pair of Junior Cannon left-hand power sluggers rose to the occasion at Queen’s Park against the North Shore Twins.  

First baseman Landon White ripped a two–run double to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth and catcher Nick Favaro crushed another two-bagger in the seventh to score Josh Gaudette with the winner in a 4-3 walk-off victory.  Gaudette, Favaro and Armand Ewusie each hammered a pair of hits and Erik Brownell struck out six and gave up only four hits.  Stefan Helyar adopted the hill in the seventh, striking out a pair for the win. 

The Cannons didn’t fare so well against the Langley Blaze, who swept a doubleheader 5-4 and 9-3. 

Consistent Geoffrey Legg had a pair of hits in the opener, including a double, and Christian Cullen matched him, driving in a run.  Legg also had two knocks in the second game, Ethan Taylor drilled a single and scored a run, and Ewusie gave up only one hit in his three innings on the mound.

 Brownell delivers…and delivers  

Erik Brownell was double trouble last week as the Junior Cannons clipped the Coquitlam Redlegs and the North Delta Blue Jays. 

Erik threw seven spotless innings, giving up four hits and fanning eight, as the Cannons stopped the Redlegs 6-1.  Christian Cullen had the key rip in that one, a two-run double in the fourth, catcher Nick Favaro added a pair of hits, including another two-bagger, and Armand Ewusie and Geoffrey Legg both drove in runs with base knocks. 

Showing versatility, Brownell had a career game at the plate as the Juniors popped North Delta 8-2 at MackiePark.  Playing third base, Erik delivered three hits and scored four runs to pace the attack. 

Hefty Landon White drilled a pair of hits, Ryan McGee doubled to drive in two runs and second baseman Joey Burgess chipped in with another two-bagger and an RBI.  Favaro, Cole Masik and Kyle Lee all added RBI singles.  Power right-hander Stefan Helyar was the rest of the story.  As he is capable of any time he steps on the hill, Stefan stifled the Blue Jays on two hits, striking out four and throwing 103 pitches over seven innings. 

Earlier, the Juniors were edged 4-3 by the White Rock Tritons, despite a single and a double from Max Wood. 

And the Abbotsford Cardinals swept the Cannons in a doubleheader, posting a pair of shutouts, 9-0 and 2-0.  Favaro had three hits in the twinbill and Legg doubled but otherwise the Cannon bats were as silent as a rock.  Legg, showing his usual excellent command, allowed just six hits in the second game and threw only 75 pitches in seven innings.

Imdakem Clutches Up

Mohamed Imdakem was Casey at the Bat at Queen’s Park.  Except this time Casey didn’t strike out. 

The Junior Cannons trailed the North Delta Blue Jays 5-2 going into the bottom of the seventh with time running out.  But Max Wood and Nick Favaro both singled, Geoffrey Legg reached on an error, and Ethan Taylor and Kyle Lee did a great job working their way on base with timely walks.  Still, there were two outs and the Blue Jays led by a run.  

At which point left-hand hitting Imdakem dug deep in the clutch, pounced on the first pitch he saw, and drove a double over the left-fielder’s head to drive in a pair of runs for a walk-off Cannons victory.  Mohamed finished with a pair of hits and three RBI’s, Markus Helyar and Legg both drove in runs and Favaro went two-for-three plus a base on balls. 

Right-hander Erik Brownell threw six solid innings and allowed only two hits with six strikeouts and Wood wrapped it up with a strikeout in the seventh. 

Earlier the Junior Cannons were clipped 9-5 by the White Rock Tritons as Legg, Markus and Alex Cyr each had a pair of knocks.  Legg, Favaro and Ian Creamore all roped doubles in that one and Favaro drove in two runs. 

The Cannons also split with the Whalley Chiefs, who took the opener 5-0.  But the Cannons bounced back to capture the nightcap 7-5, led by power-hitting Favaro’s RBI double, a pair of singles by Taylor, Imdakem’s two-run knock, another RBI from Legg and a hit and two walks collected by Creamore.  On the hill the steady Legg scattered nine hits and walked only one for the win and Cole Masik picked up the save.

  CONNOR NOBLE JOINS B.C. SELECTS

Cannons ace Connor Noble has been named to the B.C. Selects pitching staff.

Connor is 9-4 this season, winning more than half of the Cannons victories.  His ERA is 1.38 with a PBL leading 78 strikeouts and only 19 walks.  This is an outstanding strikeout to walk ratio, always a key stat for pitchers.  Connor has started 13 games and logged 71 innings pitched in league play.

Righthander Noble was an alternate on the B.C. team last season along with Cannons left-hander Trevor Anderson.

 

NOBLE, MARKLUND, FAVARO TO SELECTS

Three Vancouver Cannons, pitchers Connor Noble and Brandon Marklund and catcher Nick Favaro, have been invited to the B.C. Selects camp in July. 

Righthander Noble, who leads the PBL in strikeouts and has posted seven wins already this year, was a Selects alternate last season.  

Marklund, in grade 10, has started for Vancouver all season and is one of the standouts on a very young and very promising Cannons pitching staff.

Favaro, who catches both ends of our junior doubleheaders and plays third base for the seniors, is only in grade 9 but has already crushed a pair of home runs.     

 Dempster, the Dominator

Ryan Dempster has been the Ultimate Dominator the last three times he’s stepped on the mound.  Unfortunately, he’s not in the Chicago Cubs rotation this week.  After firing 22 innings of scoreless baseball, Ryan is on the 15-day disabled list with some tightness in his right latissimus muscle.

          “Unfortunately our best pitcher, if not the best pitcher in baseball right now, comes up a little lame with his lat,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “There’s no timetable. We’re going to make sure he’s ready to go 100 percent when he gets back.”

The streak lowered Ryan’s ERA to 2.11, the third best in the big leagues.  He’s only 3-3 for the season because the Cubs have scored runs for him about as often as Ozzy Osbourne says something legible.  And the trade rumours around Dempster are flying as fast as a 747 after he’s won his last three starts, allowing only 11 hits in those 22 scoreless innings.

The streak started in Milwaukee when Ryan stifled the Brewers 10-0, breezing through seven innings with three strikeouts, absolutely no walks, and giving up only three hits.  He faced the minimum of 15 hitters in the first five innings and thoughts of a no-hitter went viral in the Cubs dugout.  “I was thinking about a perfect game, for sure,” Dempster said. “I’m not an idiot. I knew I didn’t have anybody on base. But that’s just five innings. You don’t get too worried about it.”

Manager Sveum joked about baseball’s inevitable superstitions. “It probably would’ve been a perfect game if Paul Maholm hadn’t put a jacket on,” he said, later.  “That changed the whole atmosphere in the dugout.”

The string hit second gear five days later in Minnesota when the Cubs whipped the Twins 8-2.  Dempster dominated for eight innings in that one, relinquishing four hits while striking out six and walking only one.  He struck out Joe Mauer, one of Minnesota’s best, three times.   The key to his dominance?

COMMAND

“He throws the ball where he wants to,” said Minnesota’s Trevor Plouffe.  “He changes speeds on his slider.  He’ll throw a hard one with some down angle and then more of a sweeping one that’s a little slower. He spotted his fastball pretty well. He had it working today.”

“I had good command again,” Dempster said. “I was able to move the ball around and change speeds and made a lot of good pitches.”

Finally, Dempster put the pedal to the metal and shifted into high gear, blanking the Red Sox 3-0 in his last start before 40,000 fans at Wrigley Field.  Ryan threw seven frames in that one, giving up only four knocks while tossing four K’s.

“Incredible win,” manager Sveum said. “He’s got so many different ways to get people out, and he’s been pulling it off day in and day out.  He’s one of the most professional, hard-working people you’re ever going to be around.  When he steps out on the mound, it’s all ‘Game on’ with him. It’s not trade rumors or, ‘Where am I going to go?’ It’s, ‘How am I going to get the next hitter out?’”

“He was pretty tough,” Boston manager Bobby Valentine said. “Guys weren’t picking him up very well.”

What’s more, Ryan had a pair of hits, including his first major league triple since the 2002 season when he was with the Florida Marlins.  “I try to spread my triples out every 10 years,” Dempster joked.  And what made that even more humorous was the bet Dempster had with blue streak sizzler Tony Campana, the most fleet Cub by a country mile and one of the fastest baserunners in all of baseball.  They had a $500 wager on who would drill a triple first, which sounds like a surething gamble for Campana, considering Dempster is a .120 hitter who’s known as an outstanding sacrifice bunter.

“I thought it was the easiest bet I ever made,” Campana laughed.

What the Cubs aren’t joking about is Dempster’s time on the DL and all the trade rumours.  “You don’t want to lose your No. 1 starter,” outfielder David DeJesus said. “We understand it’s part of the game, and we’d love to have him here. But, if he’s traded, we’ll just have to move on. It’s the nature of the beast.”

As for his scoreless-inning streak, Dempster joked that he’s aiming for Orel Hershiser’s record of 59 innings without giving up a run.  “I wanted to sit on that for a little while–make Orel sweat it out,” he laughed.

Dempster pitched three seasons for Cannons head coach Dave Empey when they were both with the North Shore Twins.  Ryan was drafted in the third round in 1995 by the Texas Rangers before being traded to the Florida Marlins.  He was a National League all-star in 2001 and 2008, when he struck out the side in the inning he worked. 

  Cannons on a Roll

The Cannons made it three in a row this week when they exploded for six runs in the third inning to stop the North Delta Blue Jays 9-1.

Taylor Ginnetti, Lee Jensen and Mohamed Imdakem all drilled a pair of hits and drove in a run.  Imdakem blistered a line shot triple and Jensen, 6-6 and 220 pounds, crushed a double, one-hopping the left field fence, which is a country mile from the plate at Queen’s.

Luc Hamel chipped in with a double and two walks, Mike Orosz singled and also walked twice, Brandon Favaro and Nick Favaro both added RBI’s, and Max Wood singled and walked.

On the mound Connor Noble and Brandon Marklund each had four strikeouts and Jensen closed it out with one more K.  It was Noble’s seventh win of the PBL season.

Noble and Marklund stifle the Eagles

Righthanders Connor Noble and Brandon Marklund shut the door on the Victoria Eagles in their doubleheader at Queen’s.

Noble, who leads the PBL in strikeouts with 61, threw an efficient 86 pitches as he blanked the Eagles 9-0.  Connor allowed only four hits, walked just one, and struckout nine.

Alex Bott had a day at the plate, drilling a double, walking three times, scoring three runs, driving in another one, and stealing a bag.  Max Wood singled twice, walked and notched three RBI’s, and Josh Gaudette drove in a run with a base hit.

Marklund was even more efficient in the nightcap, scattering seven hits and striking out four while only throwing 76 pitches over his seven innings as the Cannons clipped the Eagles 4-3.

Wood and Taylor Ginnetti combined to post the go ahead runs in the fourth when they both singled, stole second, and later scored.  Luc Hamel, Mike Orosz and Brandon Favaro all chipped in with solo knocks.

Cannons out-hit Mariners 20-12

The Cannons hammered out 20 hits against the Victoria Mariners but still managed to lose both ends of the doubleheader at Queen’s.

Ian Creamore, Mike Orosz, Alex Bott and Byron Prasad all contributed a pair of hits in the opener as the Cannons notched 11 hits while losing 6-4.

It was much the same in game two as Josh Gaudette and Geoffrey Legg both went two-for-four and Nick Favaro popped a two-run single, all in vain as Victoria prevailed 9-4.

In all, the Cannons out-hit the Mariners 20-12 but lack of command on the mound wiped that out.

Cannons blank Blue Jays

The hill combo of Marklund and Noble were at it again as the Cannons shutout the North Delta Blue Jays 4-0 at Mackie Park.

Marklund threw five solid innings and Noble wrapped it up.  Together they scattered seven hits.

Noble, who DH’d early in the game, drilled a pair of singles, Luc Hamel had two knocks, including a double, Josh Gaudette also went two-for-three, and Max Wood added a single and a walk.

Rowan Wick drafted in 9^thround

        Former Cannon Rowan Wick was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth round of the major league draft on Tuesday.  He was the 300^th player chosen overall.

Wick graduated from the Cannons two years ago.  That June he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 19^th round but, instead of signing, he accepted a scholarship from St. John’s University in New York.

This season Rowan transferred to Cypress College in California and, even though he had just 87 at-bats, he impressed the scouts with his power from the left side of the plate, leading the Chargers with six home runs and a .310 batting average.  He also pitched three innings and the Colorado scout gunned him at 94 mph.

Rowan had pre-draft workouts with seven major league teams, including the Cardinals, the Reds, the Giants, the Mariners, the Padres and the Blue Jays.  At his workout in San Francisco Rowan crushed two home runs into the fabled McCovey Cove, the favorite water landing for alltime home run leader Barry Bonds.

The Cannons are only four years old but already we’ve had four draft picks.  For head coach Dave Empey that makes it 24 players drafted, including three major leaguers, the most notable Ryan Dempster, the ace of the Chicago Cubs pitching staff.  Empey had 19 draft picks in the nine years he coached the North Shore Twins.

Let’s put Rowan’s draft in perspective. There are more than 200,000 players in North America eligible to be drafted each June but only 1,500 are  selected.  Most of the players chosen in the later rounds aren’t offered a contract or enough money so only about 750 sign pro contracts.  This makes Rowan an elite player.

Wick, still only 19, is a 6-3, 220-pound catcher who got his first big break with the Cannons in 2009 when we brought him to the attention of Walt Burrows, the head of the Canadian Major League Scouting Bureau.  Burrows was so impressed he contacted Greg Hamilton, who runs Baseball Canada, and Rowan was placed on the roster of the junior national team, the most important stepping stone for any player in this country.

At that time the Cannons had three players on the national team, including catcher-outfielder Wick and pitchers Vaughn Mabone and Tom Robson, who both subsequently signed pro contracts.

Even though Rowan sometimes struggled here in the PBL against pitchers who wouldn’t throw him a fastball over the plate, he flourished with the national team, hammering 90-plus heaters against talent from all over the world, including outstanding Dominican hurlers.

Rowan Wick is another example of what the Cannons are all about.  We’re here to get players into professional and college baseball.

Three wins in 4 games for Cannons

           We’ve all seen a walk-off home run.  Or a walk-off line shot for a single.  Sure.  But a walk-off passed ball?  Very strange.

But strange it was last week when the Cannons clipped the Coquitlam Reds at Queen’s.  With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh Byron Prasad scooted home with the winning run on a passed ball to give Vancouver a 7-6 victory.

It marked the third win in four games for the Cannons, the youngest team in the PBL.

It also marked the debut of Lee Jensen, the big righthander who has been steadily rehabbing from arm surgery.  Lee threw his first inning of the season, closing with the scored tied in the seventh.  After four straight balls to walk the lead-off man Lee settled in to shut the door and pick up the win.

Connor Noble, Alex Bott and Luc Hamel all hammered RBI doubles to pace the offence and Prasad and Josh Gaudette added singles.

Noble, Marklund toss two-hitter

Connor Noble and Brandon Marklund owned the mound as the Cannons blanked the Whalley Chiefs 3-0 at Queen’s.

Noble allowed only one hit and one walk over five innings, striking out seven.  Marklund finished it up, giving up one more hit and adding a K.

Former Chief Alex Cyr led the attack with a pair of hits and made a couple of difficult catches look easy in left field.  Luc Hamel chipped in with a key RBI single in the second inning and Geoffrey Legg, Byron Prasad, Mike Orosz and Bradley Smith also added knocks.  Orosz, who runs very well for a catcher, stole his fifth bag in league play.

In the opening game of the doubleheader Trevor Anderson, who leads the PBL in strikeouts by a wide margin, posted nine K’s and gave up only three hits and a pair of walks as he lowered his ERA to 1.63.   But he also hit four batters, which contributed heavily to a 4-1 Chiefs victory.

Hamel, who has been solid at shortstop, drove in the only Cannons run with a single in the second.

 Favaro, Favaro and Orosz rip it up

           The legal firm on Favaro, Favaro and Orosz were the law at Queen’s Park when the Cannons stopped the White Rock Tritons 9-3.

Brandon Favaro, a student at Cap College who has just returned to the Cannons lineup, collected three singles and drove in a pair of runs.  His younger brother, Nick Favaro, still only in grade nine, added a pair of RBI doubles, and catcher Mike Orosz put the exclamation point on the win with a two-run triple before scoring on a passed ball.

Josh Gaudette, Max Wood, Ian Creamore and Luc Hamel chipped in with singles and five Cannons shared the victory on the mound.

 Smith posts one-hitter in tough loss

          Bradley Smith was absolutely lights out against Nanaimo, giving up only one hit and two walks while striking out six.  But a sudden attack of unearned runs allowed the Pirates to nip the Cannons 3-2 at Queen’s.

Bradley threw his best game of the year and deserved a much better fate.  Unfortunately, he also made a couple of throwing errors to contribute to the Nanaimo cause.  But that didn’t diminish his performance on the mound, marked by a blue chip fastball and much improved command.

Taylor Ginnetti had a great day at the plate, driving in a pair of runs with three solid hits, and Mike Orosz added two more knocks.

In fact, the Cannons out-hit the Pirates 7-1.

In the other half of the doubleheader Connor Noble turned in his usual solid effort but the Cannons couldn’t muster much offence and the Pirates prevailed 2-0.  Noble struck out five over his six-innings on the hill.

The Cannons lost a tough one to Langley, 3-2 at McLeod with Trevor Anderson solid on the mound.  Vancouver almost pulled it out with a strong comeback in the seventh when Noble and Orosz doubled and Nick Favaro singled to tie the game.  Smith also went two-for-three.

 

CANNONS PHILOSOPHY

- We believe in LOYALTY

- Once a Cannon, always a Cannon

- OUR PRIORITY IS YOUR FUTURE

We want to win, of course, but that’s not nearly as important as where you play when you leave the CANNONS.  If you develop into a pro prospect and we can help you get drafted, then great.  But equally important is a chance to play college baseball and get an education.

The Cannons put three players on the CANADIAN NATIONAL JUNIOR team in 2009, including pitchers Vaughn Mabone Covington and Tom Robson and catcher/outfielder Rowan Wick.  And Cannons ace Allen Rimer was named Top Pitcher in the PBL.

In 2010 Rowan was drafted in the 19th round by the Milwaukee Brewers.  And last season the Cincinnati Reds selected Vaughn in the 11th round.

Head coach Dave Empey has developed players drafted 23 times by major league teams and put 12 into professional baseball.  Three of them reached the major leagues, including pitcher Ryan Dempster, a National League all-star in 2000 and 2008 and the team leader of the Chicago Cubs.

We had a very young team our first season, with seven grade 10 players on our senior team, but we still managed to finish in the playoffs.  In 2010 we added a Junior team and our emphasis remains the same.  PLAYER DEVELOPMENT.

We expect to get players drafted by Major League teams and we focus on our graduates going on to college baseball.  With that in mind, the Cannons are committed to player development in Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond.

One pitch away from perfect

On Saturday it was White Sox righthander Philip Humber throwing the 21st perfect game in major league history, a 4-0 lightning bolt against the Seattle Mariners.

Then, on Sunday, North Shore Twins righthander Clark Grisbrook was one pitch away from being perfect against the Cannons.

But Connor Noble had other ideas.

Grisbrook breezed through the Cannons batting order, showing outstanding command of his fastball and breaking ball, to retire the first 20 hitters he faced on the way to a 2-0 win at Queen’s Park.  He opened the seventh inning with a pair of groundouts and got ahead of Noble, the Cannons DH, with a ball and two strikes.  At which point Connor looped a line drive into centerfield for the Cannons only hit of the game.

Grisbrook threw only 73 pitches, striking out seven.

For the Cannons lefty Trevor Anderson pitched well enough to win, posting another solid performance, scattering six hits and striking out eight to lower his ERA to 2.26.

It was not a memorable weekend for the Cannons, who lost four straight.   But…

Durable catcher Mike Orosz crushed a pair of doubles against Langley.  Plus…

Our grade 10’s contributed heavily again.  Josh Gaudette drove a pair of singles.  Ian Creamore and Max Wood both picked up hits.  Bradley Smith popped a double. And Brandon Marklund threw five solid innings against Langley, giving up only two hits and striking out four.

Cannons clipped by the Tritons

Baseball is a game of inches.  That Classic Cliché’ rose up to bite the Cannons last week.

Trevor Anderson and Bradley Smith combined to handcuff White Rock on only one hit but the Tritons still posted a 1-0 win at Queen’s Park.  And the game of inches was self-evident in the bottom of seventh when Luc Hamel drew a two-out walk and Ian Creamore stepped into the box.

Creamore, recovering from an injury to his left thumb, drilled a line shot down the right field line, the hardest hit ball of the game, but the Triton outfielder made a brilliant diving catch, picking the ball off the grass for the final out.  An inch lower and it would have skipped past for at least a triple and probably an inside the park home run.

Still, the Cannons managed only singles by Connor Noble and Mike Orosz as they came up short at the plate for one of the few times this year.

Left-hander Anderson showed his best command of the season, lowering his pitch count dramatically and striking out five over five innings.  Smith also threw strikes and added a pair of K’s without allowing a hit.

 

Prasad paces attack

Lead-off hitter Byron Prasad went three for five and drove in a pair of runs as the Cannons stopped North Delta 7-3 at Mackie Park.

Luc Hamel chipped in with a pair of knocks, Josh Gaudette ripped a double,  Jordan Pettie drove in a run with a solid single and Alex Bott rounded out the eight-hit attack.

Meanwhile, Connor Noble went about his business on the mound, allowing only three hits with a pair of K’s over four innings.  Brandon Marklund finished it up, adding another strikeout.

 

CANNONS AND THE
CANADIAN NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM

Three years ago, in our first season, the Cannons put three players on the Canadian national junior team.

Tom Robson.
Vaughn Mabone.
Rowan Wick.

This was their major stepping stone to pro baseball and all three were drafted by major league teams.  Rowan is playing college ball in California and Tommy   (Toronto Blue Jays) and Vaughn (Cincinnati Reds) have signed pro contracts.

Playing for B.C. Selects and then the national team is what the Cannons program is all about.

 

“HE WAS INCREDIBLE”

Dempster brilliant

 Ryan Dempster got out of the gate with a brilliant effort, striking out 10 and giving up only two hits.  But the Chicago bull pen broke as slowly as a snail in the Cubs home opener and was about as effective as holding off a hurricane with your bare hands.

Dempster went seven and two-thirds innings against the Washington Nationals, throwing 108 pitches, and left the game with a 1-0 lead.  Ian Desmond had both hits for the Nats.  He led off the game with a line drive single and then drifted a groundball into right field in the eighth when Cubs first baseman Jeff Baker thought he was in Spain bull fighting and waved the ball through, expecting second baseman Darwin Barney to
make the play.

Ryan then K’d Danny Espinosa for his 10th punch-out and Cubs manager Dale Sveum went to the mound and the bull pen.  At which point set-up man Kerry Wood, a good friend of Dempster’s, walked three Nats in a row to tie the game.  Ultimately, closer Carlos Marmol was touched for a run in the ninth and Washington posted a 2-1 opening day victory to the horror of 41,000 Wrigley Field faithful.

“Ryan was incredible,” manager Sveum said, later.  “His command of his fastball, his split, his cutter, his slider, everything was tremendous.”

“I just tried to attack the zone,” Dempster said.  “I stayed aggressive and put pressure on them to swing the bat.”

As it was he out-pitched Stephen Strasburg, the Washington phenom who dents the rador gun at 97-98 as often as McDonald’s sells a Big Mac.

Ryan Dempster pitched for Dave Empey and the Twins in 1993-95