MOOSE JAW -- It was a record-setting night in the Western Canadian Baseball League, but not the one most onlookers were expecting.
Moose Jaw MIller Express infielder Thomas Soto scored three runs in Moose Jaw’s 16-1 win over the Swift Current 57’s, setting a new single season mark of 70 runs scored. The record had been previously held by another Miller Express player, with Zach Campbell having scored 69 runs in the 2022 campaign.
The Saskatoon Berries will have to wait at least one more night to claim sole possession of the single-season wins record, as they dropped a 7-6 decision in extra innings to the Regina Red Sox to remain at 44 victories. The one other game involving Saskatchewan teams saw the Weyburn Beavers return to the win column by downing the Medicine Hat Mavericks 7-6.
Moose Jaw 16, Swift Current 1
Soto came into the game needing three runs to claim the record outright, and he’d get his first in the third inning, hitting a single and coming around to score on an Austin Gurney base hit. Soto and Gurney connected again on the record-tying run in the fifth inning, with Soto hitting a lead-off single and Gurney knocking him home two batters later.
That set the stage for the sixth inning, where Soto recorded his third hit of the game, stole second, went to third on a William Edwards ground out and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by -- who else -- Gurney.
While Soto was etching his name in the record books, Miller Express pitcher Westin Walls went to work on what was far and away his best start of the season.
The senior hurler tossed an absolute gem, recording a complete game win while allowing only two hits, striking out 10 and walking four. He faced only three batters over the minimum and threw 71 of his 107 pitches for strikes.
Ben Waliczek led Moose Jaw’s offence with a 2-for-4 night that included three runs scored and a grand slam home run in the eighth. The round-tripper was Waliczek’s first of the season. Eduardo Saenz and Andy Rivas each had a pair of hits and three RBI.
Luis Ayala knocked in Swift Current’s only run in the fifth, Rydell Adair had their other hit.
Shunta Furuya started for the 57’s and took the loss, allowing seven runs, six earned, on eight hits over four innings.
Moose Jaw improved to 24-29 and remain three games back of Regina for third place in the East Division with three games remaining. Swift Current falls to 10-41 and are in sixth.
Regina 7, Saskatoon 6
Rafael Jackson played spoiler in Saskatoon’s first crack at the 45-win single season record, and in dramatic fashion at that, hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to secure the walk-off win.
Regina had taken a 4-0 lead out of the third inning, Saskatoon went ahead 5-4 in the top of the fourth and the Red Sox tied things up in the bottom of the fourth, where things would stand until the 10th.
Brady Bye and Ian Montz hit back-to-back home runs for Regina in the third, with Bye’s homer a three-run shot.
Cory Wouters hit a grand slam for Saskatoon in the fourth, Nate Houston and Ethan Murdoch each had three hits.
Ayden Page was the winning pitcher after allowing a single unearned run while tossing the final three innings of the game.
Tanner Hosick was the losing pitcher after giving up Jackson’s home run.
Regina improves to 27-26 and need a single win or Moose Jaw loss to clinch third in the East. Saskatoon falls to 44-6.
Weyburn 7, Medicine Hat 6
The Beavers might be playing out the string on a disappointing season, but that didn’t keep them from finding the win column on Friday night.
Weyburn fell behind 5-3 through three innings but put up four in the fifth and would hold on the rest of the way for the victory.
Ryan Muizelaar put together a 4-for-5 game and scored a pair of runs to lead the Beavers offence. Zach Tanabe picked up three hits. Ryan Dauphinee also crossed the plate twice.
Tyler Vanneste went 3-for-3 with two runs for the Mavericks, Nate King hit a solo home run.
Dylan Parton got the start for Weyburn and allowed five runs, two earned, on six hits in three innings. Keaton Husband took over in the fourth and pitched into the sixth, giving p a single run and picking up the win. Tanabe pitched a scoreless ninth to land the save.
Xander Roberts allowed seven runs on 11 hits in 4 ⅔ for the Mavericks, Diego Centella took the loss after giving up the winning run in the fifth.
The Berries will take their next shot at history on Sunday afternoon when they host Medicine Hat, with first pitch at 1 p.m. Moose Jaw is at Swift Current (4:05 p.m.) and Weyburn is at Regina (7:05 p.m.).
