Sports

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, June 20, 2009 AquaSox crush Canadians in season opener Herald staff VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Mechanical difficulties may have complicated the Everett AquaSox's start to the 2009 Northwest League season. But they couldn't derail Everett's smashing debut. Despite the team bus breaking down en route to Vancouver, the AquaSox opened the season by thumping the Vancouver Canadians 10-1 Saturday night. Ryan Royster went 4-for-5 with three RBI, Kalian Sams blasted a three-run homer, and Taylor Lewis tossed six solid innings as Everett showed no ill effects from the delayed arrival in Vancouver. Everett's bats went wild late in the game as the AquaSox accumulated 10 of their 16 hits in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Guy Welsh finished with three hits and Fred Bello had a pair of doubles and scored three runs to augment Everett's offense. Lewis, on the other hand, did his most important work early. The right-hander worked himself out of jams in each of the first three innings, stranding two runners in each frame. He went six innings, giving up one run on four hits and three walks, striking out six. Vancouver starter Joselito Adames took the loss, giving up two runs in five innings. However, the Sox did their heavy damage against the Canadians bullpen, roughing three relievers up for eight runs in four innings. Rashun Dixon homered to lead the Canadians. Everett scored the first run of the season in the top of the third inning. Bello led off with a walk, worked his way to third base on a groundout and a wild pitch, then trotted home when Royster lined a single off the glove of diving shortstop Leonardo Gil, staking the Sox to a 1-0 lead. It was the same combination that produced Everett's second run in the fifth. This time Bello led off with a double down the left-field line, was sacrificed to third and scored on Royster's single to center, making it 2-0. The Canadains drew back within one in the bottom of the fifth when Dixon lined a solo home run over the left-field fence to make it 2-1. But Everett stretched its lead out again in the sixth. With runners at second and third with two out, Hawkins Gebbers grounded a ball down the third-base line. Gebbers beat the throw, which was in the dirt and got by first baseman Wilfredo Sosa, allowing both baserunners to score and make it 4-1. The Sox then put it out of reach in the seventh and eighth. In the seventh Welsh's double into the left-field corner drove in one run, then a second scored on a balk as Everett went ahead 6-1. Then in the eighth Royster lined an RBI double to the left-center gap, with Sams launching his three-run shot later in the inning as the Sox turned it into a rout. Today's Game Opponent: Vancouver Canadians When: 1:05 p.m. Where: Nat Bailey Stadium, Vancouver, B.C. Radio: KRKO (1380 AM) Probable starters: Everett left-hander Nick Czyz (no record) vs. Vancouver TBD READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Man arrested in fatal shooting of brother 2. Highway 9 crash victims memorialized 3. Taxes needed to close state's growing deficit? 4. Confrontation led to elderly man's death, police say 5. Fire sends shoppers fleeing JC Penney at Alderwood 6. Snohomish salon owner has a venture with style 7. Pearl Harbor's voices of the past 8. Vikings’ Henderson breaks leg against Cardinals 9. Boeing shares soar as 787 first flight draws near 10. New law aims to deny some felons bail 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Wildcats fall to familar foe in semis • ‘Nutcracker' times three • Road warrior • Mavericks reloading • Holiday Lightings & Santa Sightings • Cities prepare for winter blast repeat • Wolfpack duo takes last shot at state tourney • This Weekend in Your Town • Tips for the stormy season • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million