If there was any game that the Canadians would lose, albeit by form of a shutout, I knew it would be last night.  Last night, just 14 hours after the boys returned from a 6-hour or so bus ride back from Tri-City.  It was a good game til the 9th, but you really couldn’t expect much last night.

Vancouver lineup:

RF Jose ‘El Rey’ Crisostomo, 2B Conner ‘Crumbler’ Crumbliss, DH Kent ‘Walloping’ Walton, LF Rashun ‘Bullet Train’ Dixon, 1B Anthony ‘Alliteration’ Aliotti, 3B Wilfredo ‘Sammy’ Sosa, C Gabriel ‘Tito’ Ortiz (left), SS Michael ‘Smooth’ Gilmartin, CF Tyreace ‘Dream’ House, SP Julio ‘The Specialist’ Ramos.

Ramos had a great start, striking out two of the first three batters he faced, to have a quick 1-2-3 first.

With El Rey and Crumbliss on after a single and a walk, respectively, back-to-back outs put the runner in scoring position in jeopardy, and the threat was ended when Crumbliss was out at second on a force.

There wasn’t much to be excited about until the 4th, in the visiting half, when John ‘Englishmen’ Eshleman walked, and then was out on a routine 5-4-3 DP.  C.J. Ziegler doubled to Center, and could’ve had a triple had it not been for a great play by Tyreace House, but luckily for Julio, he got a 1-3 groundout to finish off the Volcanoes, keeping the game tied at 0.

The 4th was when the C’s came to play, with The Bullet Train Dixon hustling out an infield hit, before stealing second base successfully.  Oh wait, the base ump didn’t watch the play and see that Dixon made it to second without being tagged, so he was out.  Great call, great call.

It was definitely unfortunate for Vancouver, who managed two base runners in the next two at-bats putting a pair in scoring position, before Gabriel Ortiz and Michael Gilmartin both got out.

Two singles with one gone, mixed with a failed back-half of a double play scored Drew Biery of the Volcanoes, but it looked like it wouldn’t matter because the C’s bats were heating up.

Jose Crisostomo got all the way to 3rd thanks to an error and wild pitch, but was stranded after Kent Walton’s 6-3 grounder, which capped a 0-4 game for Walloping Walton, who is still one of the team’s best hitters.

Salem starter Wilber Bucardo lasted til the 6th when Andrew Bowlin came in, and he was throwing absolute heat.  The Nat Bailey radar was reading 91-92, but if last year is any indication, it is slow.

Anthony Aliotti managed a single off him, the second batter Bowlin faced, but it was the last hit Vancouver would get on the night.

Paul Smyth (<) threw two perfect innings of relief, before turning things over to Pedro Vidal in the 9th.  After a scoreless performance in Tri-City, Vidal didn’t have as much luck in Vancouver, because with one out and the bases loaded, he did manage to get a lineout, before proceeding to give up four runs on two hits.  5-0 Salem.

Vancouver couldn’t manage anything in the 9th against Jose Casilla, as they were shutout.

Nat Notes Hitter of the Game: Conner Crumbliss 1-2, 2 BB.  On this night it could’ve been any of the Canadians with a hit (5 in total), but Crumbliss drew two walks and was easily the best hitter on the team, besides Dixon potentially who got robbed on that stolen base.

Nat Notes Pitcher of the Game: Julio Ramos 6 IP, 5 H, R (Unearned), 2 BB, 3 SO, Loss.  If it wasn’t for the unearned run he allowed on an error, Ramos would’ve been near perfect, as he excited Canadians fans from first pitch through the 6th.  Ramos, being the only LHP, is essential for the C’s this year.

Game Notes:

- Paul Smyth has given up just two hits, and no walks or runs in 5 innings of relief this season (3 appearances), striking out 7 in the process.  If any reliever is on their way to Kane County, it’s Smyth.

- Jose Crisostomo is so fast the base ump can’t see him run…because he was robbed twice on calls, legging out singles which were outs.

- 5 of Vancouver’s top 6 hitters each had hits, but the bottom 3 of the order couldn’t manage one.

- House was denied on a flyball to center that would’ve been extra bases, had it not been for Caleb Curry coming down with a diving catch.

- Nino Leyja’s first day off this year, should prepare the young 2B for the grueling NWL season, where he is already hitting .290.

- Conner Crumbliss replaced Leyja, and played the 4 position for the first time in 2009 (including college).

- Rashun Dixon is batting .375 at Nat Bailey this year, compared to .100 on the road.