Prospects one win away from title
Swift Current’s ninth-inning rally foiled as Edmonton takes 2-1 series lead
Derek Shedden has been lights out in the Western Major Baseball League playoffs with his bat, but on Tuesday night he made a play with his glove that he’ll remember forever.
The veteran Edmonton Prospects left fielder made a heroic game-saving catch in the bottom of the ninth to snuff out a big rally by the Swift Current 57’s and preserve a 6-5 victory in Game 3 of the WMBL championship series in front of 2,838 fans at RE/MAX Field.
With the win, the Prospects took a 2-1 series lead and are just one win away from their first WMBL championship.
Game 4 of the series is Wednesday (7:05 p.m.) at RE/MAX Field.
Down 6-2 heading into the top of the ninth inning, the 57’s were staging an improbable comeback.
They rallied hard and clawed their way back by scoring three runs on no hits, pushing the Prospects on their heels. But Shedden did his best impersonation of Superman, leaping high in the air and diving to make a catch, robbing Blake Adams from clearing the bases and at least tying the game.
Before the crazy events of the ninth inning, the Prospects looked to be in complete control thanks to starting pitcher Michael Gahan.
The Prospects have relied on Gahan’s production at the plate this post-season, but in Game 3 Gahan put together an impressive performance on the mound.
In his first playoff start for the Prospects, the Australian gave up just two earned runs on three hits over eight innings to lead the Prospects to victory.
Erik Sabrowski was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI, while Zane Takhar was 2-for-4 to lead the charge offensively.
Gahan struck out six to earn his first career WMBL playoff victory.
Tuesday’s pitching matchup was a great duel between Gahan and 57’s starter Mitch Guiberson.
The two went toe-to-toe through the first five innings, with Edmonton building a slim 2-0 lead, before the Prospects blew the game open in the seventh inning with four runs. Edmonton was able to hold on to the victory from that point.
Guiberson was cruising until he got hit hard in that seventh inning. He ended up allowing six runs and 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings.
The game was scoreless until the fourth inning when Tony Olson’s RBI single scored designated hitter Erik Sabrowski.
The Prospects defence came up big in Game 3, with some great plays to keep the 57’s bats cooled off.
Swift Current had a surefire run taken away after Prospects centrefielder Dean Olson made a superb leaping catch to deny 57’s first baseman Bodie Cooper of an RBI.
That big defensive play sparked Edmonton and they would extend the lead to 2-0 after Erik Sabrowski’s bloop single scored Nick Spillman.
After Swift Current cut Edmonton’s lead in half in the seventh, the Prospects’ bats went to work in their half of the inning and did it the way they know best — playing small ball.
Anthony Cusati started off the inning with an infield single. Olson laid down the perfect bunt. Shedden laid down a sacrifice bunt and then Jake Lanferman, Zane Takhar, Sabrowski and Spillman all singled to break the game open.
Down 6-2 in the ninth, the defending WMBL champions went on a big rally to take away Gahan’s complete game.
The 57’s started the inning off with right-fielder Nick Canas getting on base with a walk. Then back-to-back errors by the Prospects loaded the bases.
Scott Gillespie came in to preserve the victory, but the Prospects’ struggles continued as Gillespie hit back-to-back batters to score two runs.
Then it was closer Andrew Mirasty’s turn to close out the game. Mirasty didn’t earn a save, but he found a way to shut the door.