Streaky Indians prepare for busy stratch
The Swift Current Indians continue to ride the highs and lows of a Western Major Baseball League season.
The Tribe opened the season opened the season with four straight losses, only to respond with five consecutive wins.
A losing streak reached three games this weekend, before they snapped it with an 18-9 win in Edmonton Sunday to finish the weekend with a 6-7 record, two games back of the Moose Jaw Miller Express for the Central Division lead.
Friday, the Tribe missed a chance to take over top spot in the Central Division with a 6-5 loss to the host Moose Jaw Miller Express.
The Indians lost their second straight game after leading 5-2 during the seventh inning before allowing four unanswered runs.
The Miller Express scored three runs off of reliever Connor Harris in the bottom of the seventh and then added the winning run off of Justin Kehler in the eighth to clinch the win.
Starter Peter Irvin had limited Moose Jaw to four hits and two runs over six innings while striking out three.
The Indians continued to produce offensively with 12 hits, led by catcher Taylor Steen, who finished threefor-four with two runs batted in.
Leadoff man Josh Johnson had two hits, two runs batted in, a run scored, and a stolen base. Eros Modena
Infielder Hunter Owen has helped bolster the Swift Current Indians’ batting order with a .424 average through his first eight games this season. and Luke Barry both had two hits and an RBI and Liam Goodall had two hits and scored twice.
Saturday, the losing streak reached three games with a 3-2 loss to the host Edmonton Prospects.
The Tribe were held to six hits and they left seven baserunners on. Goodall doubled and homered in the loss and Justin Lee scored the other run.
Paul Hvozdovic took the loss despite allowing only six hits, two walks, and three runs over 6.2 innings while striking out six to leave his earned run average at 3.12 on the season.
Sunday, the Indians broke out of the three-game slide by pounding out 21 hits and 18 runs against Edmonton. Matt Spillman led the offense with three triples, two singles, five RBI, and three runs scored. Johnson finished five-for-six with five runs scored and a stolen base for a .484 average and eight stolen bases in seven games this season. Lee had a triple, double and a single as he finished with three RBI and three runs scored. Modena also had five RBI in the win.
Sean Callegari made the start and allowed three runs over four innings. Harris picked up the win with two innings of relief work.
The Indians easily led the WMBL with a .307 batting average coming out of the weekend and were tied for the lead with a .389 on-base percentage.
The Tribe, who have had four of their first 17 games postponed due to rain, will play four home games in as many nights this week. They host Moose Jaw on Thursday and Saturday, Melville on Friday, and Weyburn on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. at Mitchell Field.