In front of a sellout crowd of 5,132, the Vancouver Canadians were in it til the 6th, when Everett kicked off 8 unanswered runs, which was the difference for the Flipper Kids and the C’s.

Everett featured a roster that won’t be in tact for Tuesday, after the Vancouver series, because their mentality was pretty much, if you have a passport, get down to Vancouver.

C’s lineup:

CF Tyreace House

LF Conner Crumbliss (left)

DH Kent Walton

RF Rashun Dixon

SS Leo Gil

C Gabriel Ortiz

1B Wilfredo Sosa

3B Ryne Jernigan

2B Nino Leyja

SP Joselito Adames

Facing Adames was a lineup full of experience for Everett, who had South Africa’s Anthony Phillips (right) led off.  He struck out but reached base on a passed ball on strike 3, before advancing to second on a one-out single by Gerardo Avila, but Phillips was gunned out on the throw from Conner Crumbliss to Ryne Jernigan at third.

The Vancouver half of the first got the fans out of their seats, as Tyreace House singled to open the frame, before heading to 2nd on a walk, and stealing third.  The aggressive decision by Rick Magnante could’ve paid off big time, but Kent Walton flew out, Rashun Dixon got a questionable Strike 3 call, and Leo Gil much of the same.

A run came up on the board in the 3rd, as with a runner on third and none out, Ryan Royster singled home Fred Bello to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage.

Conner Crumbliss’ second walk of the game opened the C’s half, before he stole second.  Back-to-back outs put the C’s in an awkward situation, and then Leo Gil was beaned in the shoulder.  Gabriel Ortiz ended the inning, striking out.

Two innings after he crossed home, Fred Bello doubled in the 5th, before being sacrificed over to 3rd.  Bello scored again, on a Royster base hit, before a routine 6-4-3 double-play ended the threat.

Crumbliss finally registered an official at-bat in the 5th, flying out, as did Kent Walton, but Rashun Dixon hit one of the straighest home-runs I have ever seen at Nat Bailey, and it went a mile into the LF sky.  Dixon’s first was just a bomb.  And, it was ‘close’ enough to the A&W Mug, so fans got free coupons.  Suddenly 2-1.

Unfortunately, the pulling of starter Joselito Adames who had a great first outing, marked the start of an Everett out-burst.

Ronny Morla’s first relief appearance with Vancouver in two years happened in the 6th, when he gave up back-to-back singles, and then the runners moved up on a sac fly.  Ben Billingsley did fly out, but then Ryne Jernigan allowed a pair to score on his throwing error to first.  4-1.

Morla remained in during the 7th, but with runners on first and second with one gone, a RBI double to Guy Welsh opened up the game once again.  A balk resulted in another run, 6-1.  Morla was then replaced by Jonathan Joseph, who walked a batter before picking up the 4-3 double-play (Leyja tags, throws to #3 position).

Fred Bello’s second double led-off the 8th, and he later scored for the third time on a Ryan Royster hit.  Kalian Sams homered in Royster, Garardo Avila and himself, on a shot that wouldn’t stop until it had just cleared the Nat Bailey fence.

Joseph’s day was done, and in came Jorge Arrioja who got an out, an error, then another out.

Rashun Dixon beat out an infield hit for a single in the 8th off of reliever Jose Rios, but he was stranded on 2nd after Sosa popped up to end the inning.

Tyreace House and Conner Crumbliss both struck out, but it wasn’t their fault, in the 9th as the game ended, because by the 7th, this one wasn’t as exciting as the first 6 innings were.

Game Notes:

- 4 hits by Ryan Royster, who went 4-5 with a double, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.  He holds an .800 average for the year.

- 6 for 9 is what you’ll get if you combine Kalian Sams’ and Guy Welsh’s stats, as the pair each had there hits, including Sams’ home-run, and Welsh’s double.

- 3 Canadians players had multi-hit nights, in Rashun Dixon, Nino Leyja and Wilfredo Sosa.  The only other Canadians to have had hits was Gabriel Ortiz and Tyreace House.  Dixon of course, had a HR.

- 3 stolen bases by the Canadians, with Leyja, House and Conner Crumbliss each picking up one.

- Everett starter Taylor Lewis was spectacular, giving up four hits and 3 walks during 6 innings of work, allowing an earned run and striking out 6.

- Joselito Adames was just as good, going 5 strong, surrendering 4 hits, 2 walks, a pair of earned runs, and picking up 4 K’s on the day.  Adames wasn’t helped out by the offence, besides four or five players who contributed.

- 1.2 innings of relief by Jorge Arrioja, who allowed one blemish, a hit, while striking out one.

- 4 years since a Canadian had hit a HR on Opening Day (Haas Pratt, 2005). 

- Ben Billingsley went 0-4, which means he is now 0-20 with 7 K’s at Nat Bailey Stadium, lifetime. 

- Nat Notes Hitter of the Game: Rashun Dixon (2-4, HR, RBI, Run, 2 K)

– Nat Notes Pitcher of the Game: Joselito Adames (5 IP, 5 HR, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO, Loss)