The Victoria HarbourCats’ report card for their three-game series against the Gresham GreyWolves, which wrapped up Monday night in Gresham, would read something like this:
Pitching: C+
Hitting: A+
For the third straight game Monday, the HarbourCats’ offence had a big night, this time leading to a 9-6 victory, allowing Victoria to take two out of three against the GreyWolves while scoring 29 runs in the series. The victory also kept Victoria (10-6) in first place in the North Division’s second-half playoff race, 21Ú2 games in front of Wenatchee and Bellingham for the final playoff spot.
On Monday, the HarbourCats got multiple-hit games from Shane McGuire, Kevin Collard and Andrew Shaps, and a solo home run from outfielder and Mississippi State product Hunter Vansau. McGuire, the catcher out of the University of San Diego, finished the game with two hits and two RBIs. It was McGuire’s two-run single in the first inning that put Victoria up 2-0.
Matt Kemp got his second start of the season for the HarbourCats and the Xavier product went five innings, giving up seven hits and four runs to collect his first win of the year. Connor Whitney then went two innings, giving up a run, before Indigo Diaz pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Closer Travis Kuhn came in for ninth and gave up a run before sending the GreyWolves (8-9) home for his ninth save of the season.
After the HarbourCats scored five times in the top half of the fifth — led by a two-run double by Collard — to blow the game open, Gresham’s Alex de Watteville tagged Kent for a two-run homer to give the home team some hope.
The HarbourCats now play host to the first-half champion Kelowna Falcons tonight for the first of three straight games at Royal Athletic Park.
EXTRA BASES: On Sunday, Blake Hannah of UC-Davis got his first start of the season for the HarbourCats and went six innings but was hurt by two home runs as the GreyWolves prevailed 8-6. First baseman Harrison Bragg had a two-run homer for the ’Cats.
