NEWS PHOTO SEAN ROONEY
Weyburn Beavers second baseman Gabe Melendez tags out Medicine Hat Mavericks runner Louie Canjura during a Western Major Baseball League game Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at Athletic Park.
Medicine Hat News
The Medicine Hat Mavericks keep finding new ways to win.
For the third straight night, the Western Major Baseball League team scored in its last at-bat, extending its winning streak to 12 games.
On Tuesday the Mavs trailed the Weyburn Beavers 4-1 in the ninth inning, then 5-4 in the 10th, but came through both times including a bases-loaded walk that ended a wild 6-5 decision in front of 687 fans at Athletic Park.
After being held to just two hits by Weyburn starting pitcher Daniel Crooks through eight innings, the home side touched closer Eric Evans for the second night in a row for three runs, including a crazy triple by Jaxson Hooge.
The Calgary product mistakenly went for third, despite teammate Michael Conn having stopped there, then was almost tagged out except that the ball came loose. Conn ran home, Hooge was ruled safe at third, then scored on a sacrifice fly from Carson Johnson to force the extra inning.
A clutch, two-out RBI double from Keaton Greenwalt put Weyburn ahead again in the 10th, but that didn’t stop Medicine Hat. Now facing reliever Shandon Herrerra, doubles from Nolan Rattai and Louie Canjura tied the game, then with the bases loaded Julien Ly drew a walk from reliever Reid Wall to end the night.
Now 22-3, the Mavs have a couple days off before hosting Edmonton Friday and Saturday, Swift Current Sunday and Okotoks Monday. Weyburn falls to 20-7.
The three-and-a-half hour game Tuesday included an early rain delay. Both starting pitchers were excellent, as were the defences behind them.
Weyburn got two runs off Mavs starter Jaymon Cervantes in the sixth — Greenwalt with an RBI single —then Correa singled in a pair off reliever Barry Caine in the seventh.
Newcomer Ryan Czanstkowski of Arkansas got the win in his first appearance for Medicine Hat, throwing two innings of relief.
