The A's Nick Lee (left, 20) and Russ Taylor (right) celebrate the first run of the game Tuesday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Story and Photos by Christian J. Stewart

August 24, 2021, Victoria, BC – Former Victoria HarbourCat Connor Russell would spin a complete-game, five-hit shutout and veteran Sean Murphy would have a key, two-RBI double to help lead the Athletics to a 6-0 win over the Giants in game one of the 2021 Victoria Mavericks League Rithet Cup finals Tuesday evening at Lambrick Park in Victoria.

The A’s Connor Russell was dominant Tuesday, allowing five scattered hits and striking out seven in the complete game win (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Murphy’s double was the highlight of a four-run fourth inning and scored Jeremy Campbell and Lance Burrows, who had reached with a lead-off walk and hit by pitch respectively. Murphy would later score on a RBI single from Russ Taylor and later in the inning, a Matt Kittleson RBI on a bases-loaded walk scored Jon Gale.

A 2-RBI double by veteran Sean Murphy would key a four-run 4th inning and put the game away for the A’s (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Kittleson’s RBI was his second of the game, as he had a base hit in the bottom of the the third inning that, along with a throwing error by Giants catcher Nick Dawson, helped the Athletics jump out to a 2-0 lead at that point.

The Giants Matt Galbraith lays down what would end up being a bunt single in the first inning Tuesday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

It turns out that those two runs would be all right-hander Russell would need, as he was relatively efficient on the night, scattering five hits, walking only one and striking out seven in the complete-game win.

A’s catcher Matt Kittleson (left) puts the tag on a sliding Nick Dawson of the Giants in this play at the plate in the first inning Tuesday (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

His only real trouble came in the top of the first when he would issue a lead-off walk to Dawson and then back to back singles to Matt Galbraith (on a bunt) and Shawn Arabsky, however on Arabsky’s single, Dawson was thrown out at the plate on a perfect throw from A’s right fielder Nick Lee to catcher Matt Kittleson.

The A’s Jeremy Campbell would reach base all four plate appearances Tuesday with a single, double, walk and hit by pitch (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Russell then induced Quinton Bracken to hit into a 1-4-3 double play to end the early threat.

After that, a double by Dawson in the third and another by Arabsky in the sixth were the only other times the Giants had runners in scoring position.

Try as he might, A’s baserunner Jeremy Campbell could not avoid the tag on this play by Giants third baseman Graham Dube (Photos: Christian J. Stewart)

The victory made a loser of Giants starter Jared Anderson, who gave up the six runs on eight hits, while walking five and striking out only one. He also hit three batters in his six full innings of work.

Giants pitcher Jared Anderson would go the distance for the Giants, allowing six runs on eight hits, while walking five (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Game two of the Rithet Cup finals will go Thursday night at Lambrick Park, while game three, if needed, will be held on Friday. Start time for both games is 5:45 pm.

The Athletics and starting pitcher Connor Russell (21) celebrate their game one win (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Full set of photos from this game will be available at https://christianjstewart.zenfolio.com/p445767687

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