Two-run ninth propel Mavs to 7-5 win Friday over Giants

By James Tubb on July 4, 2025.

Medicine Hat News

The Medicine Hat Mavericks didn’t have a David in the lineup Friday night but they topped the Giants of Fort McMurray anyways.

The Mavs saw a 5-1 lead dissipate before scoring twice in the top of the ninth to beat the Giants 7-5, recording the third win on their west division road trip. Medicine Hat beat the Giants 1-0 on Thursday, scoring the lone run of the game in the eighth inning.

Their offence kicked off much sooner on Friday, with three runs in the second inning.

Shortstop Johnny Vulcano drew a one-out walk, moving to second base on a single to left field off the bat of second baseman Blake Dale. First baseman Evan Morrison battled through an at bat, working two foul balls before smacking the eighth pitch he saw over the outfield fence for a three-run blast. His sixth home run of the season put the Mavs ahead 3-0.

The Giants did answer in the bottom of the frame, scoring on a wild pitch, to make it a 3-1 Mavs’ lead.

Medicine Hat leaned on the long ball again, with a two-run home run from DH Tyler Vanneste in the top of the third, giving them a 5-1 lead. The home run was his sixth of the season, tying Morrison for the team lead in home runs.

For a second straight inning, the Giants responded, utilizing the long ball of their own.

A pair of walks to lead off the inning put runners on for Lane Snow who belted his second home run of the season, cutting the Mavs’ lead to 5-4.

Tyler Spruiell started the game for the Mavs, working four innings with four runs against (three earned) on three hits and four walks, striking out five. Zack Hlinsky took over to start the fifth, pitching two innings with just one hit against, recording a pair of punch outs.

The Mavs and Giants navigated four scoreless innings before Fort McMurray tied the game up in the bottom of the eighth.

Ryan Dexter took the mound for the Mavs in the bottom of the seventh, working around a one-out walk to maintain the 5-4 lead. Fort McMurray capitalized in the eighth, putting runners on first and second with one out. Andrew Kim took over on the mound and allowed a single on his first pitch, driving in a run for the 5-5 tie.

The Mavs wasted no time in the ninth to re-grab a lead. Catcher Jamel Chabot drew a lead-off walk before Yusei Uzawa took over as a pinch runner. He stole second and on an error by the Giants’ second baseman, scored for the 6-5 lead. With one out and Micah Dvorak on second base following the error that scored Uzawa, Aaron Vulcano roped a double to left field to score Dvorak and give the Mavs the 7-5 advantage.

Kim, in his first game with the Mavs, re-took the mound to start the ninth. He needed just eight pitches, inducing two groundouts and a fly out to secure the Mavs’ 20th win of the season.

They outhit the Giants 9-6, stranding six runners on base. Fort McMurray left nine runners on base.

The Mavs (20-11) will head to Spruce Grove on Saturday for the first of two games against the Energy City Cactus Rats, the first time they will face the WCBL’s newest club. Saturday’s game gets underway at 5:05 p.m.

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