Batting in the lead-off spot for the first time this season, Rowdey Jordan produced big-time, finishing with a trio of hits, including a two-run homer and four RBI in the HarbourCats 6-4 win over Walla Walla Thursday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Story by Josh Kozelj 

Photos by Christian J. Stewart 

FULL BOXSCORE

July 26, 2018 — Behind some stellar defence in the field, four RBI’s from Rowdey Jordan, and Landon Anderson’s quality start on the mound, the Victoria HarbourCats clinched their first series sweep since the first week of July with a 6-4 victory over the Walla Walla Sweets Thursday night at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria.

It was a new face atop the lineup card that powered Victoria to their first sweep since taking three straight over the Bellingham Bells back on July 2-4.

Landon Anderson had his best start of the season Thursday, pitching six scoreless innings and allowing just three hits, while retiring 15 of the first 16 batters he faced (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Rowdey Jordan, making his season debut in the leadoff position, started the game off with a double — his first of three hits on the night, and finished a triple shy of the cycle. One out later, the usual HarbourCat leadoff hitter Nick Plaia scored Jordan with an RBI single to draw first blood for Victoria.

One batter later, Ryan Ober made it three straight games in which he has collected an RBI, bringing home Plaia with a double to make it a 2-0 game.

Meanwhile on the hill, after holding Corvallis to four runs in six innings in his last start, Landon Anderson made it back-to-back solid six innings starts with a three-hit gem tonight.  The Cal State Fullerton product retired 15 of the first 16 Sweets batters he faced, and got some impressive help in the field.

After allowing the first Sweets hit in the top half of the third, Jack Smith and Harrison Spohn combined to turn a 3-6-3 double play to put two outs on the board in the inning. Anderson then got Jack Filby to pop out to end the threat and another double play helped the southpaw end the next inning.

Nick Plaia hustles to third on the way to scoring one of the HarbourCats runs on Thursday evening (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Anderson allowed another single to start the fourth, but just like the past inning, he got a double play to erase the scoring opportunity for Walla Walla. Spohn started the play by knocking down a screaming line drive from Cesar Lopez, and then flipped it to second baseman Adam Imwalle, who still had enough time to get Lopez at first.

On the opposing mound, after giving up the early four runs, Sweets starter Haydn King settled in to keep Walla Walla in striking distance of the lead. The righty out of the University of San Francisco only allowed two hits over the final four innings in his outing, finishing with six strikeouts to one walk, while being tagged for four earned runs in six innings pitched.

With Anderson out of the game to lead off the seventh, the Sweets found success off Po-Jui Huang out of the ‘pen, scoring three times behind a Ryan Johnston solo homer and Josh Prinzia two-run double to make it a one run game.

Rowdey Jordan would slide safely into second ahead of this throw to the Sweet’s shortstop Jack Filby (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Huang yielded another two-out double before Head Coach Brian McRae pulled his reliever in favour of Lawson Humphries, who got Sinatro to fly out and end the inning.

Jordan then responded immediately in the home half of the seventh, collecting his third and fourth RBI’s of the night with a home run to deep right field that give Victoria some much needed insurance runs and 6-3 lead.

Tyler Yoshihara would give up a sac-fly in the ninth, but recorded the final three outs to preserve the win for Victoria.

With the victory, the HarbourCats climbed back up to .500 (9-9) on the Second Half, and will now take a brief break from WCL League play.

Victoria will host the Victoria Mavericks for two games this weekend before playing an exhibition game against Team Cuba on Monday July 30. The opening game of the Mavericks series will feature a post-game concert from the Canadian rock band Chilliwack, first pitched is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.