The Moose Jaw Miller Express have had their share of commanding victories through their nine-game winnings streak, but now they’re finding a way to get the job done in come-from-behind fashion.
The Express picked up back-to-back comeback wins in recent Western Canadian Baseball League action, staging a walk-off 3-2 win over the Regina Red Sox on Sunday night before battling to a 6-4 victory over the Okotoks Dawgs to open a six-game road swing on Tuesday at Seaman Stadium.
Moose Jaw improved to 24-10 with the wins, and have now moved 8 ⅓ games clear of the Red Sox for first place in the East Division. Their nine-straight wins are also best in the league, as is their 9-1 record over their last 10.
Miller Express 3, Regina 2
Julio Acosta was the hero of Moose Jaw’s most recent win over the Red Sox, as his bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth scored Dawson Tweet with the game-winning run.
A two-run home run off the bat of Bitner Workman had given Regina a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh, but Chaz Poppy hit his second double of the game to lead off the eighth and one batter later Wyatt Tweet would bring him home with the tying run.
As the score would indicate, both starting pitchers were sharp from the get-go. Cameron Dunn put together his first quality start of the season for the Express, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out three in 6 ⅔ innings of work.
Zac Pollon was just as sharp for Regina, allowing a single unearned run on four hits over 5 ⅔ innings and striking out five.
The bullpens were the difference, though, as Moose Jaw’s Julian Gonzalez allowed a single hit over 1 ⅓ innings and Haldon Craig struck out a pair in a scoreless ninth.
Poppy and Wyatt Tweet each had a 2-for-4 game at the plate.
Miller Express 6, Okotoks 4
Things looked good for the hometown Dawgs as they built a 4-0 lead through four innings, but Moose Jaw would get all of that back in the fifth and then tacked on a pair of runs in the seventh to secure the win.
Austin Gurney came through with the big hit this time around, with his two-out single in the seventh bringing home Nate Mensik with the go-ahead run and Luke Lachance with an insurance marker.
That would be more than enough for Craig to finish things off, as he’d toss four innings of relief and hold Okotoks to a single hit in the process while striking out four.
Kellan Voggesser got the start and allowed a run on three hits over three innings before Jake King surrendered three runs on two hits and three walks while getting a single out in the fourth. Zach Sigmon finished off the inning and tossed a scoreless fifth to set up Craig’s game-winning effort.
Lachance finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Dougie DelaCruz, Bobby Pokorney and Wyatt Tweet were all 2-for-4 with a run scored,
The Miller Express are back in action Wednesday night when they face Okotoks for the final time in the regular season.
