And lo and behold…
The Express took advantage of host of solid pitching performances on their way to a pair of wins in Western Canadian Baseball League action this past weekend, as they defeated the Melville Millionaires 5-3 on Saturday at Ross Wells Park before holding on for a 5-4 win over the Medicine Hat Mavericks in their first trip to Alberta.
The two wins saw the Express improve to 8-7 on the season, good enough for fourth place in the Eastern Division, 5 1/2 games back of first place Weyburn and 3 1/2 games ahead of fifth-place Melville
Express 5, Melville 3
For someone who hasn’t pitched a whole lot this season, Michael Borst sure seems to look the part.
The power-hitting outfielder tossed seven innings against the Millionaires, giving up three runs while scattering six hits and walking one to give his team a shot to win the game late – a chance they’d need because Melville’s Tanner Solomon was Borst’s equal, going seven innings himself and also surrendering three runs on three hits.
With the game tied at three in the Express half of the eighth, Zach Campbell reached on a two-out error and came around to score when Blake Gallagher laced a double one batter later. Darrell Doll then singled home Gallagher to give Moose Jaw a 5-3 edge.
That was enough for Nathan Slobodian, who gave up a hit while shutting down Melville in the eighth to pick up the win; Jaden Hofmann tossed the ninth to earn the save.
Geordie McDougall finished the game 2-for-3 with a seventh-inning home run and two RBI.
Express 5, Medicine Hat 4
Sorenson put on the miles in trekking out to the pitching mound during Sunday’s afternoon contest in Medicine Hat, as the Express used six different pitchers on their way to picking up the close victory.
Alex Orenczuk got the start on the mound and gave up two runs on three hits; Jeff Nicolosi, Tyler Sheridan and Reece Helland tossed the next five innings, giving up two runs on a pair of hits. Hofmann came on for the final out of the seventh and gave up a single hit in 1 1/3 innings work before Jack Gamba closed things out with three ground balls to earn the save.
Dougie DelaCruz scored a pair of runs for the Express while Tucker Zdunich and Andres Garza each went 2-for-3 at the plate. Doll also continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-4 on the night.
The Miller Express will now have Monday off before taking the field for doubleheader in Melville on Tuesday and facing the Millionaires on the road again Wednesday. A trip to Yorkton Thursday closes out the road run, with their next home game on Friday against the Weyburn Beavers (7 p.m., Ross Wells).
