By Randy Palmer – July 8th 2023
Moose Jaw takes 2-0 and 7-2 victories in doubleheader at Ross Wells Park, extend lead at top of division to seven games
Don’t look now, but the Moose Jaw Miller Express are the hottest team in the Western Canadian Baseball League.
The Express extended their winning streak to a league-best seven games with 2-0 and 7-2 victories over the Weyburn Beavers in a doubleheader at Ross Wells Park on Friday night, improving to 8-2 in their last 10 in the process.
As a result, Moose Jaw now has a 22-10 record and hold a seven game lead over the Regina Red Sox for first in the East Division.
As the score would indicate, the first game of the evening was a pitching duel from start to finish.
Moose Jaw’s Gabe Soto ended up coming away with the win after tossing four innings of shutout ball, scattering five hits and striking out a pair. Julian Gonzalez took over in the fifth and was equally as lights out, allowing a single hit and only four baserunners over the final three innings.
Angel Rios was nearly their equal for Weyburn, allowing a single earned run on five hits while going six innings.
The Express scored both their runs in the third inning. Nate Mensik scored the game’s first run on an error after hitting a lead-off single, and Dougie DelaCruz knocked home Dawson Tweet with their second run one batter later.
Tweet finished the game 2-for-2 with a run scored to continue his incredible season at the plate. He now has a hit in every game this season — a 32-game hitting streak — and has reached base in every game he’s played dating back to Game 2 of the East Division final against Medicine Hat last August. In fact, going back almost a full calendar year and 45 games, Tweet has gone hitless only twice.
Game two of the doubleheader saw Moose Jaw get off to a much better start with two runs in the first inning and a four-run fifth giving them a 6-2 lead through five.
Mensik was 2-for-3 with a run scored and RBI, while Julio Acosta went 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Tweet was 2-for-4 with a double and boosted his average back to .492 as he attempts to return to .500.
Ethan Merk got the start and was his usual self, allowing two runs, one earned, while scattering six hits over five innings. Kaleb Waller enjoyed a return to form, allowing a single hit and striking out a pair in an inning of work, while Tristan Eberle made his first appearance for the Express and tossed a scoreless seventh.
Moose Jaw is back in action on Sunday night when they host the Regina Red Sox. Game time is 7 p.m. at Ross Wells Park.
