Through the latter half of the Western Canadian Baseball League season, the Medicine Hat Mavericks simply had the Moose Jaw Miller Express’ number.
Despite Moose Jaw’s first-place record in the East Division and lengthy winning streaks, they’d lose their last four games of the regular season to the Mavericks and finish the campaign with only three wins in 10 outings against their Alberta rivals.
As it turns out, sometimes what happens in the regular season carries over into the playoffs -- and that was the case on Friday night in Game 1 of the East Division final between Moose Jaw and Medicine Hat at Ross Wells Park.
Things started well for the Miller Express, as they’d build a 4-2 lead through four innings, but once Mavericks’ reliever Adam Golby took the mound, it was the end of the night for Moose Jaw’s offence. Things went better on the other side of the field, though, and the Mavericks would scratch together the runs they needed -- including the game-winner in the top of the ninth -- on their way to a 5-4 victory.
As a result, the Mavericks can finish off the best-of-three series tonight in Game 2 in Medicine Hat.
Moose Jaw wasted little time getting going, as back-to-back two-out base hits from Austin Gurney and Julio Acosta set the table for Greyson Barrett, who would get the Millers’ third-straight knock and bring both baserunners home.
Medicine Hat picked up single runs in the third and fourth to tie the game, but the Express promptly regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. Dawson Tweet knocked home Bobby Pokorney with their third run, and Nate Mensik would score on a passed ball to make it a 4-2 game.
Other than the two runs, Moose Jaw starter Ethan Merk was cruising along and ended up going five innings, giving up five hits and walking three while striking out a pair.
The bullpens went to work from there, with Golby outduelling three Moose Jaw relievers over the final four innings to earn the win. His pitching line was stellar -- five innings pitched, one hit, three walks and five strikeouts.
The Express did have their chances, getting runners into scoring position in the fifth and sixth and the potential go-ahead run to third in the eighth, but couldn’t cash in.
Medicine Hat, on the other hand, did exactly that.
Ryan Dousett made it a one-run game when he scored on a wild pitch by Matt Vasquez in the sixth. Dominic VanDoome then tied the game in the seventh by scoring on a bases-loaded walk to Nathan Tarver by reliever Julian Gonzalez.
Zach Sigmon took over from there and tossed a scoreless seventh and eighth, setting up a tough final inning.
Tyler Vanneste was hit by a pitch as the second batter of the frame and VanDoome promptly doubled to make it second and third with one out. Sigmon would get Tory Nelson to ground out to third for the second out, but a passed ball to Zach Stark would allow Vanneste to come home with the game-winning run.
Golby then tossed a 1-2-3 ninth, and the Mavericks had their Game 1 win.
Bryce Libke started for Medicine Hat and allowed the four runs on eight hits and a pair of walks in his four innings of work.
Game 2 is in Medicine Hat Saturday night, followed by Game 3 back in Moose Jaw on Sunday if necessary. Game time is 7:05 p.m.
