Spectators at Diamond 1 were treated to a close game between host team, Dave’s Cleaning Crew and the Ontario Mizuno Canucks.

The Crew was cheered on during a close game, but eventually lost 21-20 to the Ontario team.

“All the boys were hitting, so you’re bound to come close to winning a game when you’re hitting,” said SS James Semaschuk.

The top half of the batting order contributed the king’s share of runs. Mike Arnold had five, while contributing three RBIs; Ryan Lane had two runs of his own and six RBIs, coming from two home runs, Semaschuk had two runs, Nolan Stonehouse had three, Jordan Cowman had four, Ben McPherson had one, Matt Nixon had one and Jamie Milligan had one.

The Crew had four home runs, coming equally from lane and Cowman.

The Crew started strong, putting up five runs in the first inning, which was tied by the Canucks, who then pulled ahead in the bottom of the second, putting nine more runs on the board.

The Crew fought back, posting four more runs in the top of the sixth and blanking the Canucks.

Key double plays came from shortstop, Semaschuk, getting the Crew outs when they needed to shut down the Canucks.

“Right place at the right time, I guess,” he said after the game.

In the top of the seventh inning, down by four points, Lane hit a home run with two base runners and two outs to get the Crew within striking distance, but it wasn’t enough as they were shut down by the Canucks.

Coming so close to a win against an Ontario team has bolstered the confidence of the Crew.

“I think all the guys know they can play ball now, so run production shouldn’t be an issue,” said Semaschuk.

They won their first game Sunday against the Northwest Territories, but struggled against the B.C. BusDrivers and the Manitoba Fuel Monday.

They dropped their game this morning against Quebec and are 1-4 in the tournament.

They face Ontario’s Louisville Aftershock next, tonight at 6:30 p.m.

The other men’s team hasn’t fared well in the tournament. The P & M Recycling Guns are 0-5. They play the Nova Scotia Pirates tonight at 7 p.m.

The Yukon ladies teams played their first games yesterday.

The Yukon Titans are 0-4 and play their next game at 2:15 p.m. against the B.C. Adrenaline. Their second game tonight will be against host team, The Sistas, which is the other Yukon women’s team in the tournament.

The Sistas opened their tournament yesterday agains B.C. Adrenaline, before playing the defending champions, Ontario’s ladybirds last night.

They are on a three-game losing streak, but their spirits remain high, says coach Russ Smoler.

“We played two of the top teams I think and it shows,” he said last night.

“The girls are still pretty upbeat. We’ve got three tomorrow and three the next day and we need to win three and hopefully we’ll be in the playoffs.”