Victoria HarbourCats starter Will McAffer is headed to the West Coast League all-star game Tuesday. But that didn鈥檛 impress the Gresham GreyWolves batters, who touched the six-foot-two South Dakota State freshman for six runs Thursday, five of them earned, on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks over 31脷3 innings.
Host Gresham (18-18), from Oregon, defeated Victoria (26-7) by a 9-6 count.
North Vancouver鈥檚 McAffer entered the game at 4-1, with a league top-five ERA of 1.47, and was moving along quite fine until a five-run gusher from Gresham in the fourth inning. His relief aid, Jack Wolger, didn鈥檛 fare much better in coughing up two earned runs on three hits and two walks in 11脷3 innings of work.
The HarbourCats, keyed by a home run by Fresno State catcher Joe Prior, got off to a 3-0 start in the top of the first inning. Victoria loaded the bases in the ninth inning but could only push one run across.
Victoria and Gresham split the first two games of the series.
The HarbourCats now moves on to a three-game set beginning tonight in Bend, Oregon, against the Elks. It鈥檚 part of a nine-games-in-nine days stretch that began with three home dates against Bend at Royal Athletic Park.
鈥淭his is a tough road trip,鈥� said HarbourCats head coach Graig Merritt.
鈥淲e had to get up at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, after playing Monday night, to catch the first ferry and then play that night in Gresham. This road swing is going to be a big test for this club, as is the whole second half of the season, actually.鈥�
The HarbourCats next home dates are a three-game series against the Bellingham Bells beginning Wednesday night.
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