Miller Express suffer third straight loss
Moose Jaw falls 8-5 and 15-5 to Medicine Hat, drop 13-4 decision to Swift Current
The Moose Jaw Miller Express have suddenly found themselves battling hard times.
The local squad dropped all three games in Western Canadian Major Baseball League action this past weekend, falling 8-5 and 15-5 to the Medicine Hat Mavericks on the road July 26 and 27 before returning home and dropping a 13-4 decision to the Swift Current 57’s on July 28.
The Express now find themselves virtually locked in fourth place in the Eastern Division standings with a 20-21 record, nine games back of first place Regina, seven back of second place Swift Current and Weyburn and 6 ½ games ahead of Melville for the final playoff spot.
Medicine Hat 8, Express 5
The Express weren’t able to make the most of a fast start, as Medicine Hat overcame a 2-0 deficit with five runs in the third to take control of the contest.
Markus Melendez led the Express offence with a 2-for-4 night at the plate that included a run scored. Chris Warken knocked in a pair of runs while Ty Lightley was 2-for-5 with a run and Eric Marriott crossed the plate twice.
Michael Ross got the start on the mound, giving up six runs on 10 hits in six innings of work, while Nico Portillo gave up two runs on three hits in 2/3rds of an inning and Nathan Slobodian closed out the contest with a scoreless inning of relief.
Medicine Hat 15, Express 5
The Express had little go right defensively in the re-match, as five pitchers surrendered 15 runs on 17 hits, 11 walks, along with a pair of errors in the field.
Things were close in the early going as Medicine Hat built a 2-0 lead through three innings before the Express rallied for three of their own in the fourth and built a 4-2 lead through five. The Mavericks would get all that back in their half of the fifth and then tacked on 11 runs the rest of the way, including six in the eighth.
Zach Campbell went 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI; Warken, Zdunich and Michael Borst each had two hits.
Jeff Nicolosi got the start for Moose Jaw and gave up three earned runs on eight hits in 4 2/3rd innings work.
Swift Current 13, Express 4
The Miller Express broke out their retro 1980’s Moose Jaw Astros jerseys back home at Ross Wells Park, but they did little to change their luck.
The 57’s scored four runs in the first, built a 6-2 lead through two and never looked back in taking the commanding win.
Ethan Soroka tossed five innings, giving up six earned runs on nine hits in his second start of the season. While the Express were able to keep the walk total down – only four this time – Swift Current still managed 17 hits total, including six doubles, and used two errors to their advantage.
Warken continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.
The Miller Express are back in action Tuesday when they host the Weyburn Beavers. Game time is 7 p.m.
