Vancouver holds on to take Game 1

John Jay went 4-for-4 and scored what proved to be the deciding run on a wild pitch in the 7th inning as top-seeded Vancouver took Game 1 in its Best-of-7 series against No. 4 Sardine City on Wednesday night.

Christian Yelich led off the game with a home run to put Sardine City up early. Jay put the Iron First right back in front with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning. He also singled home another run in the 2nd after Charlie Blackmon's two-run double extended the lead to 5-1. The Staphangers came right back with 2 runs in the 3rd, capitalizing on a walk and three singles.

With short outings from both starters, the bullpens kept thing things quiet until the 7th. Trailing 5-3, Sardine City got Evan Longoria as far as 3rd base after a double but stranded him. Pedro Baez started the bottom of the 7th for the Straphangers and was greeted with a double by Jay, who advanced on a groundout then scored on a wild pitch to tack on another run that proved decisive. Baez got out of the inning without further damage but the Iron Fist led 6-3 at the end of 7.

After 2 1/3 innings of 1-hit relief by Xavier Cedeno, including striking out the side in the 6th and stranding Longoria at 3rd, A.J. Schugel started the 8th for Vancouver. A one-out single by Tyler Flowers and a double by Stephen Piscotty put runners in scoring position. That's when Addison Russell delivered a two-run single to cut the lead to 6-5.

Schugel bore down to strike out Ryan Schimpf before Yelich's stroked a two-out single. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Vancouver turned to closer Andrew Miller to strike out Longoria, ending the threat. Pinch-hitting for Joc Pederson, Kurt Suzuki singled in the 9th but Miller struck out the side to preserve the victory for Vancouver.

Cedeno got credit for the win with Miller picking up the save. Neither team got much from their Game 1 starters. Alex Wood was far from great, surrendering 5 runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. He did strike out 5. Vancouver's 22-game winner, Johnny Cueto, wasn't much better, lasting 4 2/3 innings and giving up 3 runs on 6 hits with 6 strikeouts.

The Straphangers left 10 on base while Vancouver left 7. Longoria led Sardine City with 3 hits, Flowers added 2 hits and a run scored. Jay finished 4-for-4 with a double and a home run, including 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Vancouver won the season series, 8-2, and has the best record against postseason teams at 32-18 (.640). Sardine City was 24-26 (.480) against the playoff field.