REGINA -- The Trans Canada Clash season series between the Moose Jaw Miller Express and Regina Red Sox has seen its share of crazy games over the years, and Thursday night will add to that legacy.
The two teams battled in a back-and-forth contest before the Miller Express emerged with a 19-16 win at Currie Field in Regina. Things weren’t as close between the Saskatoon Berries and Weyburn Beavers, with Saskatoon taking a 22-4 win, and the Okotoks Dawgs were able to get past the Swift Current 57’s 5-2.
Moose Jaw 19, Regina 16
The two teams were tied at six through two innings when Moose Jaw blew things open thanks to a nine-run frame that saw them send 13 batters to the plate. Regina steadily chipped away, though, getting three back in their half of the third and tacking on four more in the fifth to only trail by a pair 15-13.
That would be as close as the Red Sox would get, though, as the teams answered their respective offences the rest of the way and the Miller Express secured the win.
Austin Gurney had the power going for Moose Jaw, clearing the outfield fence twice and going 2-for-6 with two runs and four runs batted in. Will Edwards also hit a home run and finished with two runs and five RBI. Andrew Niaves had his best game of the season, finishing a home run away from the cycle while going 3-for-3 with four runs scored.
Brady Bye was 2-for-5 with a home run and five RBI for Regina, while Justin Seward had three hits and scored four runs. Jackson Syring and Matthew Fox each scored three runs apiece.
Each team used six pitchers on the night, with Kaden Noble taking the win for Moose Jaw after giving up five runs on three hits over three innings of work. Nathan Pisio struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save.
Vittorio Iacobucci was the losing pitcher, giving up seven runs in the third.
Moose Jaw improves to 13-15 and are a game back of 14-14 Regina for third place in the East Division.
Saskatoon 22, Weyburn 4
Bailyn Sorensen had his best game of the season with the Berries, belting a pair of home runs and finishing the game 3-for-5 with three runs scored and seven runs batted in.
The rest of Saskatoon’s line-up wasn’t far off his pace, as the Berries built a 10-0 lead through the first three innings and were up 20-3 through five before calling off the dogs.
Corey Wouters finished a triple away from the cycle and scored three runs, joining Nate Houston, Ethan Menard and Cooper Wesslund in crossing the plate three times each.
Ryan Dauphinee was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI to lead the Beavers offence.
Matthias Trondson was the winning pitcher, taking over from starter Adam Beamin in the third inning and allowing a single run on two hits through four.
Ryan Meyer absorbed the loss, allowing eight runs on five hits and four walks in the first.
The win was Saskatoon’s 10th in a row and saw the Berries improve to 24-3, good enough for a 6 ½ game lead over Medicine Hat at the top of the East. Weyburn fell to 7-21 with their eighth straight loss and are fifth in the East.
Okotoks 5, Swift Current 2
Okotoks’ dangerous offence struggled to get much going all night, but a pair of runs in the first and another in the third would be enough to get the job done.
That was in no small part due to the performance of Jaylen Gutierrez on the mound for the 57’s, as he’d put together a quality start and hold the Dawgs to only three runs, two earned, on five hits over six innings of work. Shunta Furuya was solid in his own right in relief, allowing two runs on five hits over the final three innings.
Thing is, as well as Swift Current’s hurlers were going, Brody Forno was even better for Okotoks, allowing only two hits over five innings and striking out five. Easton Corey earned the save, pitching a scoreless ninth.
Jason Arriola and Logan Grant each hit home runs for the Dawgs, while Connor Crowson went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored.
Braxton Vail had two hits for Swift Current, Gus Koehn and Luis Ayala scored their runs.
Okotoks improves to 21-9 and are first in the West, Swift Current falls to 6-24 and are sixth in the East.
