SPOKANE, WA – In a series that already had a little bit of everything – great pitching, timely hitting, big innings, comebacks, defensive gems and miscues alike – game three of the season-opening set between the Vancouver Canadians and Spokane Indians (Rockies) on Sunday continued the trend as the C’s slugged their way to an 8-7 triumph at Avista Stadium.

A pitched battle through seven innings, it was Davis Schneider’s bat that delivered the decisive blow. Already the author of two sterling plays in left field earlier in the game – including a full-extension diving grab in the gap to rob a would-be double and stymie Spokane’s momentum – Schneider dug in against reliever Robinson Hernandez to start the top of the eighth and deposited the 2-0 pitch beyond the left field wall, a line-drive home run that made it 8-7. It was his first hit of the season.

The power party started with the game tied 3-3 in the fifth. Garrett Spain had already doubled and scored before he took Indians starter Andrew Quezada deep to right field to give the Canadians their first lead since Friday night.

Spokane managed to tie it in the sixth, but the C’s collectively hit for the cycle in the seventh to grab their largest lead of the year thus far. Trevor Schwecke started the scoring with an opposite field homer then Spain doubled off the left field wall. Hugo Cardona plated Spain with a triple that just evaded the glove of the centerfielder and later scored on a balk that made it 7-4. The Indians responded with three of their own in the bottom of the inning to retie the game and set up Schneider’s heroics.

It was a banner day for the bottom of the order. Between Schwecke and Spain – the eight and nine hitters, respectively – those two spots in the lineup went a combined five-for-eight with two home runs, three doubles, two RBI and five runs scored, including consecutive two-baggers in the top of the third to start a game-tying rally after the C’s fell behind 3-0 in the bottom of the first.

7 Blue Jays prospect Sem Robberse (ROBBER-suh) got the start for his season debut. The 20-year-old settled down after a shaky first inning and kept the Tribe off the board from the second through the fifth. He scattered six hits, allowed two earned runs, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter while retiring 13 of the last 15 hitters he faced. Colton Laws (W, 1-0) and Gabriel Ponce (S, 1) combined on three scoreless innings of relief. Ponce struck out the final batter of the game to strand the tying and winning runs in scoring position.

Spain became the first C’s batter to log three hits in a game and established a new single-game team high with eight total bases. Schwecke and Riley Tirotta also had multi-hit showings. Tirotta and Addison Barger have a hit in all three games they have played in.

After an off-day Monday, the Canadians battle the Tri-City Dust Devils (Angels) – the first team to three wins in the Northwest League – on Tuesday night in Pasco, WA. The six-game series begins with southpaw Naswell Paulino on the mound for Vancouver in his High-A debut. He will be opposed by Landon Marceaux. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and can be heard on the Sportsnet Radio Network.

The Vancouver Canadians make their triumphant return to Nat Bailey Stadium on Tuesday, April 19 at 7:05 p.m. Tickets for the home opener and the rest of the 2022 season are available now at CanadiansBaseball.com.