The Moose Jaw Miller Express have found themselves going through a bit of inconsistency as of late, but thanks to the rest of the Western Canadian Baseball League’s East Division finding themselves in much the same situation, they continue to hold down first place.
The Fort McMurray Giants put up four runs in the third inning to build a 5-0 lead before going on to an 8-5 victory on Tuesday night at Ross Wells Park.
As a result, the Express are now 2-3 in their last five after putting together a three-game winning streak last week.
Moose Jaw is now 5-5 in their last 10 and have a 15-10 record, good enough for a three-game lead over the Medicine Hat Mavericks for first place in the East.
The Giants’ big third inning was the product of a bit of bad luck, as an error prolonged the inning and led to Bennett McCollow hitting a bases-loaded double that brought home three runs.
The 5-0 lead held until the sixth inning when the Express got right back into it with three runs. A two-run double off the bat of Chaz Poppy did most of the damage, and Moose Jaw was right back in the thick of things.
The Giants got two runs back in the seventh and made it 8-3 thanks to a McCollow solo home run in the eighth. A Poppy double and triple off the bat of Andrew Rantz got two runs back for Moose Jaw in the bottom of the eighth, but that’s as close as they’d get.
Cameron Dunn got the start for Moose Jaw and allowed five runs, only two earned, through three innings of work. Gabe Soto tossed the next four and was solid in his own right, allowing two runs on five hits before Triston Seitz finished things off, allowing a single run over the final two frames.
Julio Acosta had a 3-for-4 day at the plate and scored two runs for Moose Jaw, while Poppy had three runs batted in. Dawson Tweet also had a pair of hits in five trips to the plate.
McCollow was 3-for-4 with four RBI four Fort McMurray.
The two teams are right back at it on Wednesday night, with game time 7 p.m. at Ross Wells Park.
