It may have taken two games, but the Vancouver Canadians are back in the win column, and if you go back to last season, they have won 6 of their last 8 games in total.

Last night’s offence was driven by Rashun Dixon, who accounted for the only run-scoring hit (a solo HR), and today was much of the same for the young hitter, who had his second multi-hit game of the season.

Mix that in with stellar pitching by Ricardo Penalba, who battled injuries this week, and you have a Canadians win.

Nooner Lineup:

CF Tyreace House

RF Conner Crumbliss

DH Kent Walton (top left)

LF Rashun Dixon

SS Leo Gil

C Gabriel Ortiz

1B Wilfredo Sosa

3B Marcos Luis

2B Nino Leyja

SP Ricardo Penalba

Facing Nick Czyz of the Aquasox, Vancouver got on the board quickly, but not before Penalba was spectacular on the hill from the get-go.  Of the four batters he faced in the first, three of them went down either swinging or watching, and Gerardo Avila was stranded after his double.

In the C’s part of the first, with one gone and Conner Crumbliss on first, Kent Walton doubled-in Crumbliss for the game’s first run, but Walton hesitated on going to third, and was tagged out by Hawkins Gebbers.  Rashun Dixon singled, but the inning ended on Leo Gil’s ground out.  1-0 C’s.

They piled it on in the 2nd, on a play not likely to be re-created anytime soon.

With Gabriel Ortiz on first base, Wilfredo Sosa attempted to do a sacrifice bunt, but it went soaring in the air.  After an error trying to pick off Ortiz on the play, Gerardo Avila’s throw went air born into right field, allowing Ortiz to head to second, and then third, where he got lucky because RF Ryan Royster’s throw was way off, and despite being given the hold sign by Rick Magnante, Ortiz charged home to double the lead.

South Africa’s Anthony Phillips tripled in the 3rd, but nothing came of it for Everett, and Vancouver’s next great chance came in the 5th with Nino Leyja on first.  Everett’s pitcher Czyz tried to pickoff the young 2B, but the catch wasn’t made, and Leyja headed to 2nd, then 3rd on Tyreace House’s single.

With only one gone, it looked as though Vancouver would get another run, but a lineout (and a near double-play), and a fly out ended the inning.

The 5th also marked the end for Ricardo Penalba who finished the game near the 80 pitch mark, after 5 innings.  He gave up just four hits, and struck out 7, including three in the first.  Penalba pitched a gem, there is no better way to say it.

Bo Schultz came into replace him, and despite allowing the first two hitters on base, he struck out the power hitting Kalian Sams, and got Guy Welsh to fly out, before Wellinton Dotel ended the inning on a ground out.

With Schultz in his third inning of relief, Everett tried to pile it on, and see if he had a tired arm.  With one gone and runners on the corners, Vancouver couldn’t finish the double play, allowing Ryan Royster to score, but even with runners on the corners again, Jose Guzman came into close out the game, and got the final out of the 8th. 

With Vancouver’s lead cut in half, their offence had to help out the bullpen, and that they did.  Conner Crumbliss hit a triple to center, that had the 4,192 fans on their feet, before he scored on Rashun Dixon’s two-out single in the 8th to extend the lead to a pair.

Guzman allowed a single, then struck out Fred Bello, before a 6-4-3 double play got the C’s a win, their first of the year. 

Game Notes:

- The last player to have back-to-back multi-hit games, was actually mutli players, in David Thomas and Dusty Coleman, who did so on the last two games of 2008.

- Crumbliss has two stolen bases on the year, after swiping second base two games in a row.  He leads the NWL in that category.

- Two of the three triples in the NWL this year came today, with Crumbliss and Anthony Phillips of Everett being tied with Scott Beerer of the Tri-City Dust Devils.

- Vancouver is now 7-2 all-time with both Marcos Luis and Leo Gil in the lineup.

- Jose Guzman picked up his 16th save as a Vancouver Canadian (2008-2009)

- Nat Notes Hitter of the Game: Conner Crumbliss (1-3, 3B, BB, 2 Runs)

- Nat Notes Pitcher of the Game: Ricardo Penalba (5 IP, 4 H, 7 Strikeouts, Win)