Skinner sizzles

For a guy whose earned run average was 18.00 entering the night, Tyler Skinner had a mighty fine outing Monday.

The Medicine Hat Mavericks pitcher went seven innings in his first start of the summer, and the Mavs beat the Brooks Bombers 5-1 in a game rescheduled from last week due to a rainout.

Skinner, a 6-foot-4 righty from Vanguard University where Mavs head coach Michael Thompson works, had only four innings under his belt — all relief appearances — prior to the game in Brooks. But he mowed down the Bombers, striking out six and allowing six hits in the victory.

Brooks starter Trevor Wiegel wasn’t bad either, letting up three hits in seven innings. But one of those was a Colton Wright home run in the first and another was a Chris Caffrey single in the third after two walks and an error. The three-run third gave Skinner some breathing room and he made the most of it, only allowing a run in the seventh.

AJ Rolle worked the last two innings for the save, stranding three runners on base.

Now 20-17, Medicine Hat is a game back of secondplace Lethbridge in the Western Major Baseball League’s Western Conference with 11 games left in the regular season. Brooks, 14-24, is five back of Edmonton for the fourth and final playoff spot in the conference.

The Mavericks are in Moose Jaw tonight, Weyburn Wednesday and Thursday before returning home to Athletic Park Saturday against Lethbridge.