Mavericks stretch winning streak to nine games

By Ryan McCracken on June 15, 2018.

Medicine Hat News

The Medicine Hat Mavericks held off a late push from the Okotoks Dawgs to secure their ninth straight victory with an 8-3 win on Thursday night at Athletic Park.

Trailing 8-0 through seven innings, the Dawgs managed to put up a three-spot in the eighth before loading the bases and bringing the tying run into the on-deck circle in the ninth — but Johnathon Smithey slammed the door shut to keep Medicine Hat’s winning steak alive while pushing the Mavs to 9-2 on the Western Major Baseball League season.

The Mavericks stretched a one-run lead to four on back-to-back RBIdoubles from David Salgueiro and Louie Canjura in the second inning before doubling up with a four-run fifth.

Zach Gray, Carson Johnson, Sal Rodriguez and Michael Conn all found the RBIcolumn in the fifth to leave starting pitcher Jumpei Akanuma with plenty of run support to work with.

The Japanese righty held Okotoks off the scoreboard with two hits, three walks and four strikeouts through seven innings of work to collect the win and improve to 2-1 on the season.

Canjura finished the game 2-for-5 with 3 RBI, while Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with 1 RBI and a pair of runs scored.

The Dawgs notched their runs on a pair of bases-loaded walk-ins and a Riley Baasch sacrifice fly off Hat product Nathan Stark in the eighth.

Dawgs starting pitcher Cameron Doherty was dealt the loss after allowing eight runs on nine hits through 4 and 2/3 innings. Junior Ramirez limited Medicine Hat to a single hit over the next 1 and 1/3 then Cole Jenkins and Alex Jones put up a pair of clean innings to keep Okotoks in the hunt, but their luck ran out in the ninth.

Dawgs lead-off hitter Eddie Sanchez managed half of his team’s hits with a 3-for-4 outing in the loss — dropping Okotoks to 7-4.

The Mavericks hit the road for another matchup with the Dawgs on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. before returning to Athletic Park for the Wear Plaid for Dad Father’s Day game against the Fort McMurray Giants at 2:05 p.m.

12
-11