Miller Express run win streak to four games, close ground on East Division title

Back-to-back wins over Lethbridge, Swift Current give Moose Jaw wins in seven of last 10 games

One win streak ends, another begins.

After seeing their nine-game stretch of victories snapped earlier in the week, the Moose Jaw Miller Express strung together four straight wins in Western Canadian Baseball League action and are now on the verge of clinching the East Division title.

Moose Jaw held a 30-13 record heading into action Sunday night, and as a result now have a 9 ½ game lead over the Medicine Hat Mavericks for top spot in the division with 12 games remaining in the regular season.

As a result, if things continue the way they have, the Express could very well

Moose Jaw’s current win streak included 7-2 and 10-5 wins in a home-andhome on Wednesday, July 19 and Thursday, July 20 before taking 10-2 and 6-5 victories at home against the Lethbridge Bulls on Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22.

Moose Jaw 6, Lethbridge 5

With the Moose Jaw Miller Express trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth, senior Dougie DelaCruz hit a bases-loaded walk-off double to give Moose Jaw a 6-5 victory.

As the score would indicate, things were close in the early going, with Moose Jaw putting up a pair of runs in the second and fourth innings to build a 4-3 lead. Lethbridge tied the game in the top of the sixth and took the lead the next inning, set-

Julio Acosta got things started with a lead-off walk, and a Dawson Tweet double would put the game-winning run at second base. Greyson Barrett drew an intentional walk to load the bases, and DelaCruz two-bagger.

DelaCruz capped his night 3-for-5 with a run scored and two runs batted in, while Wyatt Tweet and Parker Dorrance also knocked in a pair of runs each.

Brayan Villar got the start for Moose Jaw and allowed three runs on three hits over four innings of work, striking out six and walking four. Kaleb Waller tossed alowed the single run in the sixth whileished things off, allowing a single hit overen.

Moose Jaw 10, Lethbridge 2

It didn’t take long for the Express to get going on Friday night, as leading 3-1 through three, they’d put up a four-spot in the fourth and tack on another two in the

The early lead also sat well with Express starter Ethan Merk, who turned in a stellar showing on his way to his fourth quality start of the season -- one run allowed on four hits over six innings of work, striking out nine and walking two.

His relievers were just as sharp, as Andrew Barger and Triston Seitz each tossed a scoreless inning of relief before second baseman Bobby Pokorney allowed a single run in the ninth.

The top of the order provided most of the offence on the night, once again led by Nate Mensik. The two-time WCBL

All-Star put together a 2-for-4 night that included a two-run home run as the second batter of the game, a pair of runs scored and three runs batted in. Dawson Tweet was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and scored three runs, while Barrett was 2-for3 with two RBI. Wyatt Tweet was also 2-for-3 with an RBI and Pokorney crossed the plate twice.

Moose Jaw 7, Swift Current 2

After scoring a pair of runs in the seventh to take a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Express put up for more to take control of the contest once and for all.

With eight- and nine-hitters Pokorney base, the top of the order was able to cash them in, leading Dawson Tweet to a 2-for5 night that included three runs batted in, while Mensik was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Both players also added a double to their ledger.

Soto capped his night with three runs scored, while Pokorney crossed the plate twice.

Matt Vasquez got the job done on the mound, allowing a single run on three hits Zach Sigmon, who struck out four in two innings of work. Craig allowed a single run on two hits in the eighth, and Villar in the ninth.

Moose Jaw 10, Swift Current 5 Mensik put together a 3-for-4 night that included a two-run home run in the third inning and three runs scored.

Mensik’s round-tripper led to Moose Jaw scoring four runs in the third, and the Express would bat through the order on their way to putting up another four runs

All that offence was more than enough for starter Gabe Soto to settle in nicely, and he’d end up with a solid show- innings and was equally as effective, allowing a single run on four hits, and Myles pair of runs in the ninth.

Delacruz also had a good game at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, with Soto and Gurney scoring three runs each.

If wasn’t for bad luck, the Moose Jaw Canucks wouldn’t have had any luck at all during the Baseball Sask 13U AA Tier 5 championship this past weekend in Moose Jaw.

The Canucks held the lead or were tied in all three of their games through the round robin, but ended up settling for a 0-3 record and missing the playoff round.

Moose Jaw opened the tournament with an 11-4 loss to the Saskatoon La Bat Blue Jays on Friday, July 21 before dropping a 9-8 decision to the Dinsmore Dynamo on Saturday, July 22 and falling 16game Saturday.

Saskatoon 11, Moose Jaw 4

Moose Jaw’s Quinn Roberts gave his team a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but in the fourth and would tag on another six win.

The Canucks scored their other three runs in the fourth inning, with Everett Dunlop, Miles Winter and Liam Dowling all crossing the plate.

Dinsmore 9, Moose Jaw 8

The Canucks trailed 8-5 heading into alive, as Liam Oakes, Jaxsen Erhardt and Dunlop would all score runs to tie the game. They could have done even more damage and taken the lead, but Dinsmore would escape from a bases-loaded jam.

Carter Hanke would eventually come this

Nate Nelson and give Dinsmore the win.

Ryder Vandesype reached base three times and scored a run for Moose Jaw, while Miles Winter and Liam Dowling each reached twice and scored a run apiece.

The Dynamo took a 4-2 lead out of the second inning and the game was tied 4-4 through four before Dinsmore put up three the next frame to take their lead.

Kindersley 16, Moose Jaw 15

The Canucks looked to be on their of the round robin, leading 8-1 after the second inning and 13-7 through three, but

Kindersley’s bats got hot at the perfect time.

That translated into six runs in the fourth to tie the game 13-13, and after - ning and then retired the Canucks in order to secure the win. ished things off, allowing a hit in the extra inning.

Roberts, Xander Nelson and Dane Glasser all had a pair of runs each for the Canucks, who saw every batter reach base at least once and all but one score at least one run.

The Moose Jaw Canucks nearly pulled off a comeback for the ages, but had to settle game of their Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League 18U AAA season.

Trailing 10-3 through six innings and 11-6 heading into their last at bat, the Canucks quickly put up three runs to get within striking distance but found themselves down to their last strike while trailing by a pair.

Caleb Newkirk would draw a walk to load the bases, though, and Nathan McDougall capped the comeback with aterson and Tate Mcdairmid with the tying runs.

The extra inning didn’t go as well for the local squad as Swift Current used the international tiebreaker to perfection, scoring three runs and then successfully holding off the Canucks in the bottom of the inning.

McDougall led the way offensively with a 3-for-5 showing that included the two key RBI, while Gulutzan was 2-for-5, knocked in a pair and scored a run. Macdairmid crossed the plate three times for the Canucks, while Ty Red also scored a pair of runs.

McDougall got the start on the mound and was the victim of some untimely errors, with only two of the seven runs he allowed over three innings counting as earned. All told, he’d allow six hits and walk a pair.

Moose Jaw fell to 8-20 to sit in 12th place in the 13-team league. They closed out the regular season on Sunday night when they travelled to Swift Current for a doubleheader.