Two nights after battling to an extra-inning win over White Butte, the Canucks were back in action at Ross Wells Park against the South East Twins on Thursday and once again emerged victorious out of a back-and-forth contest, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth for an 8-5 victory.
The win was the third straight for the local club, and saw them improve to 4-4 on the season. The Canucks now sit in sixth place in the 13-team league, two points out of first, although most teams ahead of them have multiple games in hand.
Moose Jaw wasted little time getting going against the Twins, putting up four runs in the fourth and tagging on another in the second for a quick 5-0 lead. South East wouldn’t go quietly, though, putting up three of their own in the fourth and then tying the game in the fifth.
Kayden Hudson would give the Canucks the lead the next inning, though, scoring on a triple by Kaedyn Banilevic, who then added an insurance marker on a Nathan Varjassy single one batter later. Varjassy would come around to add Moose Jaw’s third run of the inning.
The Twins would get a pair of baserunners on in the top of the seventh, but Kaleb Waller would get out of the jam to earn the win.
Cam O’Reilly got the start on the mound and earned a bit of redemption in his home park after a tough outing in their season opener: four innings pitched, three runs on four hits and three strikeouts. Waller would toss the final three frames and allow two runs while striking out five.
Banilevic finished the game 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored to go along with his run batted in, while Evan Callaghan was 2-for-3, Caleb Newkirk knocked in a pair and Kayden Hudson crossed the plate twice.
The Canucks are back in action tonight when they host the Swift Current 57’s. Game time is 7 p.m. at Ross Wells.
