Written by Jay D Haughton Wednesday, Jun 28 2023
A four-run third inning was the difference, as the Fort McMurray Giants picked up their 12th win of the season taking down the Moose Jaw Miller Express 8-5 at Ross Wells Park on Tuesday night.
The loss drops Moose Jaw to 15-10 on the season but still hold a three-game lead over the Medicine Hat Mavericks in the Western Canadian Baseball League’s East Division.
The Giants were able to get to Miller Express starter Cameron Dunn in that third inning with three-straight singles to load the bases. An error by the right fielder would score a run and then a double by Bennett McCollow would clear the bases to cap off the four-run inning.
Dunn would only last three innings allowing five runs on six hits and striking out two in the loss.
Gabe Soto came into the game in the fourth inning in relief and pitched four innings giving up only two runs on five hits and striking out two.
Dawson Tweet had another solid night at the plate going 2-for-5, which extended his hitting streak to 24 games and gave him his 16th multi-hit game.
Julio Acosta picked up three hits and an RBI in the loss.
After a scoreless first inning, the Giants would get on the board first. In the second inning, with runners on second and third, Bryson Collins would pop out to left field for a sacrifice fly to give his team the 1-0 lead.
Things would change drastically in the third inning for Moose Jaw, as the Giants would score four runs in the frame to take a commanding 5-0 lead.
That lead would stay in tack for Fort McMurray until the bottom of the sixth inning when Moose Jaw would strike back.
Dawson Tweet would get things started with a one-out double to put a runner in scoring position. Austin Gurney would follow that up with a single to put runners on the corners with still only one out.
Julio Acosta would drive home Tweet from third base with an RBI single to get Moose Jaw on the board.
After a fly out, Chaz Poppy would come to the plate and crush a deep single, which would score Gurney and Acosta to make the score 5-3.
The Giants would respond in the seventh inning with two runs and then a solo home run in the eighth would extend their lead to 8-3.
Moose Jaw would score a pair in their half of the eighth inning to cut the deficit to 8-5 but that was as close as they would get.
Moose Jaw and Fort McMurray will wrap up the two-game series on Wednesday at Ross Wells Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.