Tough week for Miller Express
The Moose Jaw Miller Express didn’t have a lot of luck in Western Major Baseball League action early last week as they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Weyburn Beavers on June 26, followed by a 12-1 loss at the hands of the Regina Red Sox on June 28. Both contests were at Ross Wells Park.
With the two losses the Express fell to 11-10 on the season to sit in third place in the Eastern Division, 4.5 games back of the second place Regina Red Sox. Regina 12, Express 1
Express starter Markus Gregson struggled with his control in the opening inning, and it proved to be costly as the Red Sox sent 10 batters to the plate while taking advantage of four walks, a hit batter and four hits to bring six runs across the plate.
Gregson couldn’t get out of the second inning and a trio of relievers – Nick Falco, Jesse Marks and Cortland Hampton – combined to give up five runs on 11 hits the rest of the way.
The early offensive outburst proved to be more than enough for Red Sox starter Evan Rogers, who ended up going eight innings while throwing 118 pitches, scattering six hits and striking out seven.
Adam Cook provided the lone bright spot for the Express at the plate with a solo home run in the second inning. He finished the game 2-for-4.
Phil Langlois was 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI for Regina, while Colton Onstott went 3-for-5 with a round tripper, three runs scored and two RBI. Adam De Le Cruz also crossed the plate three times. Weyburn 6, Express 3
The Express gave the Eastern Division-leading Beavers all they could handle through the first seven innings as Moose Jaw’s Mitchell Robinson and Weyburn’s Connor DiNaro battled step-for-step on the mound. The Express struck first in the contest, as Alex Hendra-Brown doubled home Eric Marriott in the first inning before Marriott brought home Ty Lightly with their second run in the second inning. Weyburn picked up single runs in each of the next two innings, and there the score would stay until the seventh when Moose Jaw’s Geordie McDougall hit a leadoff single off Beavers reliever Brodie Stairs and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Scott Pratt. The lead was short-lived, though, as the Beavers would score four runs on five hits off Express reliever Matt Perry.
Robinson ended up with another quality start, giving up two runs on five hits and striking out four in six innings, while DiNaro gave up two runs on five hits and struck out eight.
Dalton Ross took the mound in the seventh for Weyburn and picked up the win; Eric Evans struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth for the save. Chris Harrell was 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI for the Beavers
The Express were back in action with four weekend games – June 29 in Regina, June 30 in Yorkton, vs. Yorkton at home on Canada Day and in Swift Current on July 2, with scores unavailable as of press time. Next action for the Express is July 5 in Swift Current; their next home game is July 6 against Yorkton (7:05 p.m., Ross Wells). The Lynbrook Golf has recorded the 6th Holein-One of the season on Tuesday morning, June 26th. Dennis Sjoberg was playing golf with Bud Guidos on Hole #7 that measures 115 yards from the forward Tees. Dennis used a 6 Iron for first Hole-in-One that he has ever made. Also witnessing the miracle shot were Dan Rongavilla and Jeff Ma who where standing on #8 Tee box.