MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- The Moose Jaw Miller Express had a chance to move into a tie for third place in the Western Canadian Baseball League’s East Division on Wednesday night, but a loss to the Saskatoon Berries saw them lose ground instead.
The Berries took a 5-0 lead out of the fourth inning and held on for a 5-3 victory over the Express in Saskatoon, moving two games up on Moose Jaw for third place in the East.
The Express dropped a game below .500 with the loss and are now 25-26 on the season, while Saskatoon is now 26-24. Thanks to a four-game winning streak, the Medicine Hat Mavericks have pulled away in second place and will likely finish there, while the Regina Red Sox have a 3 ½ game lead on Medicine Hat at the top of the division.
Saskatoon got a great start on the mound from Michael Singleton and made the most of it. Singleton held the Express scoreless while scattering six hits over 5 ⅓ innings, and by the time he left the game, he had a comfortable lead thanks to a three-run first inning and two more runs in the fifth.
Moose Jaw got things going against Jacob Hadden in seventh, scoring three runs on two hits, but Hadden would escape without any further damage. Cory Lawson then clinched the win with a scoreless ninth.
Matt Vasquez got the start for the Miller Express and allowed five runs on seven hits over six innings, striking out five. Drew Sorrentino gave up a single hit in the seventh and Jacob Canelli struck out the side in the eighth.
The two teams had only eight hits apiece, with all of Moose Jaw’s offence coming on one swing of the bat. Ryan Gouldin hit a three-run home run to score Nate Mensik and Elijah Bear with the Express’ only runs of the night in the seventh. Gouldin was 2-for-4 and the only Moose Jaw player with more than one hit.
Bailyn Sorenson led Saskatoon with a three-run home run in the first before capping the night 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three runs batted in.
The two teams will rematch on Thursday night at Ross Wells Park before hosting the Weyburn Beavers on Friday and Saturday. First pitch for each contest is 7:05 p.m.
