Canadians outmuscled in 11-5 loss to AquaSox

Luis De Los Santos had two hits for the Vancouver Canadians on Saturday to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Photo: Vancouver Canadians'/Twitter (file photo)

July 3, 2021

Official Vancouver Canadians News Release

Everett, WA – The Vancouver Canadians trailed wire-to-wire in an 11-5 loss to the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) Saturday night at Funko Field as the ‘Sox handed the C’s their third series loss of 2021.

Everett hit their first of two home runs on the night in the bottom of the first when Austin Shenton took starter Brian Rapp (L, 0-3) deep for a two-run shot that made it 2-0 to give them a lead they would not relinquish.

AquaSox hurler George Kirby (W, 3-2) turned in one of his finest performance of the season. He blanked the Canadians for five innings, scattered three hits, walked two and struck out eight to earn the win.

The Frogs added a run in the third and two more in the sixth to lead 5-0 before Vancouver finally broke through for three in the top of the seventh inning. John Aiello walked, Eric Rivera singled and Davis Schneider loaded the bases before Tanner Morris worked a walk to force in a run. A wild pitch made it 5-2 then Sebastian Espino pulled the C’s within two with an RBI ground out.

A two-run bottom of the seventh put the ‘Sox up 7-3, though the C’s battled back with a run in the top of the eighth thanks to a Luis De Los Santos double and an Aiello RBI single.

Trailing by three to start the bottom of the eighth, Vancouver gave up a two-out grand slam off the bat of Kaden Polcovich that was the proverbial nail in the coffin. The Canadians scratched a run across in the ninth after Espino tripled and Ryan Gold singled him home, but it was far from enough in an 11-5 loss.

De Los Santos and Rafael Lantigua led the way with two hits apiece. The former extended his hitting streak to a team-high 10 consecutive games. Aiello’s run-scoring single in the eighth brought home his first RBI of the year and Rivera’s base hit in the seventh extended his hitting streak to a personal-best four straight games.

MLB.com’s No. 10 Blue Jays prospect CJ Van Eyk (2-2, 5.84 ERA) will try and salvage the series finale for Vancouver tomorrow night. He’ll be opposed by Everett’s Taylor Dollard (1-0, 2.57 ERA), who is ranked as Seattle’s No. 30 prospect. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.