Opening Night At The Nat Spoiled By Ems

VANCOUVER, BC – The Canadians trailed early and never recovered in a 4-3 loss to the Eugene Emeralds (SF) on Opening Night at The Nat. With the loss, the C’s are now 0-4 on the young season.

Eugene used a lead-off walk, a steal and a throwing error to set up a go-ahead single from Gavin Kilen in the opening inning and threatened to add on by loading the bases with one out, but Vancouver starter Johnny King (L, 0-1) managed to limit the damage by ending the frame with consecutive strikeouts.

Holden Wilkerson entered the game in the second and looked strong in his High-A debut. The right-hander allowed single runs in the fourth and fifth as part of a 3.1 inning outing in which he scattered two hits – including a solo homer – with two walks and seven strikeouts.

The C’s got on the board in the fifth. Tucker Toman led off with a single, a walk moved him to second and a ground ball double play advanced him to third. After Toman scored on a wild pitch, two more walks set the table for Carter Cunningham’s RBI knock to make it 3-2.

A run in the top of the sixth put the Ems back up by two, and the C’s failed to score again until there were two outs in the bottom of the ninth. That was when Cunningham launched a no-doubt solo shot over the right field wall to bring the potential tying run to the plate, but the Canadians couldn’t muster another tally and fell 4-3.

Jay Schueler and Jonathan Todd combined on three scoreless innings of relief in the back third, and Blue Jays newcomer Dub Gleed – acquired from Miami for former Canadian Leo Jimenez – had two hits and a walk. Maddox Latta reached base three times.

The series continues tomorrow night with RBC We Care Wednesday. Austin Cates makes his season debut for the C’s opposite Emeralds lefty Tyler Switalski. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Get tickets at CanadiansBaseball.com and follow the action on Sportsnet 650, Bally Sports Live and @vancanadians across social.