Moose Jaw Miller Express pitcher Tim Carlson might be only three starts into his career, but it’s safe to say he already has a pretty good handle on Western Canadian Baseball League hitters.
Carlson put together his third quality start in as many outings on Thursday night, allowing one run on four hits and striking out five in six innings of work as the Miller Express picked up a 6-1 victory over the Edmonton Prospects in Kindersley.
The Minot State University sophomore hasn’t allowed more than four hits in an appearance this season and now boasts a 1.42 earned run average and 0.79 walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP) through 18 innings of work.
Carlson’s ERA is seventh-best among WCBL starters, with his WHIP 16th best among all pitchers in the 11-team league.
The Miller Express offence provided Carlson with all the support he’d need against the Prospects in the very first inning.
Greyson Barrett and Parker Dorrance hit back-to-back two-out singles before a pair of passed balls led to Barrett scoring the game’s first run. Austin Gurney walked one batter later, and a Cam Grant single would clear the bases to give Moose Jaw a 3-0 lead.
Edmonton scored their lone run in the third, but the Express tacked on an insurance marker in the sixth and two more in the eighth to secure the victory.
Moose Jaw Minor Baseball product Reece Helland made his first appearance on the mound after arriving from MidAmerica Nazerene late last week and picked right up where he left off from his NAIA World Series crew -- two innings pitched, four strikeouts and the minimum six batters faced.
Closer Jesse Scholtz took over from there and after allowing a lead-off single forced an infield fly and a game-ending double play to finish things off.
Barrett finished the game 2-for-5 with a run and two runs batted in to lead the offence, with the top of the Express order -- Zach Campbell, Nate Mensik, Dorrance and Gurney -- all scoring a single run each.
The Miller Express improved to 9-5 with the win and moved back into a tie for first place in the East Division with the Swift Current 57’s.
Moose Jaw is back in action against Edmonton on Friday night before traveling to Okotoks to face the West Division-leading Dawgs for games on Saturday and Sunday. Next home action is Tuesday, June 21 when they host the Regina Red Sox in Game 3 of the Trans Canada Clash season series. First pitch is 7:05 p.m. at Ross Wells Park.
