Bulls fall in series opener

MEDICINE HAT TAKES GAME ONE OF WMBL FIRST - ROUND SERIES

Jordan Dray knew it was do or die. With two Lethbride Bulls in scoring position and one out in the sixth inning Tuesday, Jaret Semeniuk laced an Alex Dafoe offering to far right field.

With the Medicine Hat Mavericks hanging on to a 3-2 lead, Dray had to make a snap decision: Go for it, or let it drop and hope to throw the second runner out at home?

He chose the former, and what happened next changed the tone of Game 1 of the teams’ best-of-five Western Major Baseball League first-round playoff series.

“In that situation you’re just trying to make a play for the pitcher,” said Dray, who snagged the drive just before it hit the ground. “He’s working hard for you and you just find a way to get that ball in your glove.”

Blake MacDonald was on third base and ran home well ahead of Dray’s throw, presumably tying the game. But the Mavs appealed that he’d left the bag before the catch was made. The umpiring crew agreed. Instead of at least a tie game, the inning was over.

“I was pretty pumped when he caught it,” said Dafoe, who found out he’d get the start late Monday due to a minor injury to Matt Brooks. “It was something else, it was awesome.”

Medicine Hat went on to a 5-2 win before a crowd of 1,129 fans at Athletic Park.

“That was the biggest play of the game,” said Bulls head coach Jesse Sawyer, who argued to no avail. “If he doesn’t get called out there it’s 33, we’ve got a chance to take the lead.

“That’s baseball. We have to do everything well to beat that team.”

The teams play Game 2 tonight in the Hat, with Game 3 Thursday (and potentially Game 4 Friday) in Lethbridge. If a fifth game is needed it’ll be played Saturday back at Athletic Park.

Given that Medicine Hat won all six regular season games between the teams, the Bulls could’ve taken some solace in keeping this one close. Jesse Hilyard led off the second inning with a home run, Dustin Braun hit one of his own in the fourth but it’s the runs they didn’t score that will hurt.

“It’s a battle every time we play them, especially in the playoffs,” said Sawyer. “We’re going to