NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks head coach Mark Goodman dons his rock and roll wig and embraces second baseman Johnny Vulcano with a rock and roll salute after the Mavericks 12-3 win Friday over the Brooks Bombers at Athletic Park.
One night after getting blown out, the Medicine Hat Mavericks put up a crooked number of their own.
The Mavericks beat the Brooks Bombers 12-3 Friday night at Athletic Park. The lopsided win comes a night removed from a 19-3 loss in Sylvan Lake against the Gulls.
Mavericks head coach Mark Goodman says they were happy to be back at home and put another win up in the standings.
”It’s great to be back from that long road trip and after last night’s game to get the large difference in runs, it was really nice to bounce back,” Goodman said. “It shows we can take one off the chin and then go out there the next night and put up runs.”
The Mavericks win was propelled by an eight-run second inning, which started off with three one-out, bases loaded walks from second baseman Johnny Vulcano, first baseman Tory Nelson and centre fielder Jackson Woolwine. After taking a first pitch ball designated hitter Brady Bean hit a grand slam for his second home run of the season, blowing the doors open on the inning.
“I was sitting fastball because there were two walks before me and the pitcher was struggling to find his zone,” Bean said. “I knew the fastball was coming and I couldn’t miss it.”
Four batters and a pitching change later, third baseman Nathan Tarver drove in a run with a RBI single for the 8-0 Medicine Hat lead.
Meanwhile on the mound for the Mavericks, Dylan Esquival made his second start of the season and picked up his second win with four strikeouts across 5.1 innings of work while only allowing three runs on five hits. He says it took some time into the start to find his bearings but felt like he picked it up in the third and fourth innings. Despite having an eight run lead to work with, Esquival says he pitched imagining it was a different score.
“The whole time I was just telling myself it’s still a tight game, it’s still a tight game,” Esquival said. “Jjust to keep it so the competitiveness doesn’t slip, making sure I could still give them my best because they still have to proof they can hit you.”
Brooks’ three runs came in the top of the sixth inning, their only offensive charge of the game. Dylan Weaver took over for Esquival in the top of the sixth, with two runs scoring (both charged to Esquival). Weaver worked a clean three innings after that with five strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.
The Mavericks didn’t settle on the five-run lead and added four runs in the bottom of the eighth for the eventual final score of 12-3. Bean drove in a run on a RBI single before catcher Dominic VanDoorne notched an RBI with a sacrifice fly out. Right fielder Brody Gradner scored on a wild pitched and left fielder Brent Cota drove in a RBI single for the final runs of the game.
The Mavericks (5-6) brought themselves one game closer to a .500 record as they remain in second place of the WCBL’s East division.
After spending the week on the road before Friday, the Mavericks get back on the bus for a two-game set in Moose Jaw against the East division leading Miller Express. Esquival says they need to just carry the momentum game-to-game and pick up some more victories.
”They’re a tough team, sitting atop the division so we’re hoping to beat those guys,” Esquival said. “We come home after that and we’ll look to get another win in front of the home crowd.”
Friday night was Rock and Roll night at Athletic Park with the Mavericks donning jerseys themed around the music genre. Both Goodman and pitching coach Kevin Mitchell split duties wear a long, dark wig resembling a rock and roll musician. Both unanimously agreed Goodman wore it best and the skipper says he enjoyed the themed night at the park.
”It was a blast. I always look to have a good time and enjoy it with the boys and it helped them play a little bit because it was such a fun night here at the park,” Goodman said. “It was good to see our fans again and see them having a good time.”
