It took a little while for the Moose Jaw Miller Express to get going against the Medicine Hat Mavericks on Saturday night, but once the bats woke up, the result wasn’t in doubt.
Moose Jaw scored five runs in the fourth and never looked back, riding a quality start from Matt Vasquez to a 12-4 victory in Medicine Hat.
Things didn’t go quite as well 24 hours later as the Express dropped a 4-2 decision to the Mavericks Sunday afternoon.
Moose Jaw is now 14-9 on the season and continue to lead Medicine Hat by 2 ½ games at the top of the East Division standings.
Miller Express 12, Medicine Hat 4
The Express needed Vasquez to be sharp in the early going and he most definitely was, scattering six hits over six innings while striking out a pair and holding Medicine Hat without a run.
After three scoreless innings, Moose Jaw finally gave their starter some run support, and after the big fourth inning would continue to tack on runs, That translated into a 9-0 lead heading into the seventh, and after the Mavericks scored three in the eighth, the Express finished things off with three of their own in the ninth.
Dawson Tweet had himself another big game, going 4-for-6 with a three-run home run in the final inning. Parker Dorrance scored three runs, while Michael Speck was 2-for-4 with three runs scored.
Bobby Pokorney made a rare appearance on mound in relief of Vasquez and allowed a run on two hits in an inning of work before Myles Thomas finished things off, allowing three runs, none earned, on two hits over the final two innings.
Medicine Hat 4, Miller Express 2
Ethan Merk found himself in another pitching duel on Sunday, going toe-to-toe with Dylan Esquival over six innings.
Like the night before, errors made the difference, only this time it was the Express who had the defensive miscues. Merk would end up allowing four runs, two earned while giving up six hits in six innings of work.
Esquival, meanwhile, held Moose Jaw to a run on five hits and struck out seven while also going six innings.
The Mavericks scored a pair of runs in the first and added another in the fourth for a 3-0 lead.
Dorrance scored both of Moose Jaw’s runs, those coming in the fifth and seventh innings. He finished his day 2-for-4, while Dougie DelaCruz went 2-for-3.
Julian Gonzalez tossed the final two innings and allowed a single hit.
The Miller Express are back in action on Monday night when they close out their series in Medicine Hat. Next home action is Tuesday when they host the Fort McMurray Giants. Game time is 7 p.m. at Ross Wells Park.
