NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks' infielder Carter Roth grounds out into a double play in the first inning of a 6-2 Game 1 loss Wednesday at Athletic Park to the Regina Red Sox.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com
The Medicine Hat Mavericks will hit the road Thursday with the season on the line.
The Mavs scattered 12 hits Wednesday night at Athletic Park but were held to just two runs as they lost Game 1 of the first-round series, falling 6-2 to the Regina Red Sox. It’s a fifth straight loss for the Mavs dating back to the regular season and the first playoff win for Regina since 2019.
“Assistant coach Chad Martin nailed it on the head saying from a depth perspective, Regina did everything they needed to in the aspect of unloading their Game 1,” head coach Jonathon Thornhill said. “By going to (Ayden) Page there, now they’re going to rely on their lefty tomorrow and try to stifle us tomorrow and hope that they don’t have to see a Game 3 because from a depth perspective, we have the upper hand.
“Kudos to (Regina) for executing, I thought we held in there pretty well all nine in the aspect of staying into the game and whatnot. But at the same time, we hit ourselves in the situations, double plays, stuff like that, that kind of cost us some innings there. So it’s playoff baseball, teams that execute end up winning.”
The Mavs grounded into three double plays in the loss, stranding 12 runners on base.
Regina opened the scoring in the top of the third with a two-run home run from Rafael Jackson. Medicine Hat responded in the bottom of the frame, scoring on a fielders choice off the bat of Carter Roth.
Both teams scored in the seventh, Regina’s offence coming on a solo home run from James Wright. Roth smacked a double to left centre field to score a runner from second and set up runners in scoring position with just one out. Shortstop Johnny Vulcano flew out to right field and right fielder Adam Vulcano flew out to left field as Regina maintained a 3-2 lead.
Luis Diaz started on the mound for the Mavs and worked a quality start, allowing the three runs on five hits and a walk, striking out six.
“It’s been Luis all summer, early on in the relief aspect  all of appearances there and then moves over to a starter, that’s the goal that Ottawa wants him at when he goes back is to be a starter and I anticipate it’ll be that for them, and then some, he’s just been solid,” Thornhill said.
Ryan Harney took over to start the eighth and the Red Sox jumped on the receiver. They scored two runs on four hits before Tyler Cutler took over on the mound with one out. A hit by pitch loaded the bases and a walk gave the Red Sox a 6-2 lead.
“Harney was fine, he filled it up and they just hit him,” Thornhill said. “Cutler had a couple away from him, but still dialled it back in and went to work. So nothing to hang our heads about. We out-hit them, we had opportunities and we just didn’t cash on.”
Medicine Hat managed just two base runners over the last two innings, held at bay from a comeback bid. They out-hit Regina 12-10.
On the mound for Regina, Landon Riley worked 6.1 innings, allowing just the two runs on 10 hits and two walks, striking out six. Ayden Page took over in the seventh, allowing just a pair of hits and surrendering a walk, stirring out three in 2.2 innings of work.
The Mavs will turn to the road Thursday looking for a win to stay alive in the best-of-three series. Thornhill says the Mavs have to stay true to their game if they want to force a Game 3 Friday back at Athletic Park.
“They found the success this year when they are themselves and keep to who they are, they have nothing to prove to anybody but they have to prove to themselves,” Thornhill said. “They said before the game, we’re a team that doesn’t have those D1 guys like some of these other teams do, they’re NAIA, JUCO, a couple of other guys who are looking for homes  and they’re just going around playing ball. Just keep that mentality and keep having fun. These guys have done it all summer and I anticipate they’ll do it tomorrow.”
