For six innings Tuesday, Evan Sutta was a wizard against the Okotoks Dawgs.
The 5-foot-9 Medicine Hat Mavericks right-hander could do little wrong, walking none and striking out five. The first two hits against him were promptly followed by double-play balls, and he’d faced one more than the minimum number of batters.
But Western Canadian Baseball League games are nine innings long, and Sutta gave up four hits in the seventh, including a three-run home run to Jacob Melton.
Put simply, the wheels fell off in a 7-4 loss.
Medicine Hat got two runs in the top of the first, PJ Garcia singling and Taylor Wright walking, both scoring thanks to an error and a Colton Wright single off Dawgs starter Tanner Simpson.
Sal Rodriguez doubled and scored in the third as Sutta continued to mow down batters on a sunny night with 3,001 fans looking on. Another Rodriguez RBI single in the seventh made it 4-0.
And then the Dawgs made their move. After the home run, Medicine Hat’s offence loaded the bases in the eighth, only for Garcia to fly out to end the threat. Okotoks then loaded them in the bottom half against newcomer Liam Rosebeck, who was charged with the loss after Jaxon Valcke singled off fellow reliever Flynn Ridley.
Dan Ferrario got the win and Dustin Schorie the save for Okotoks.
Still 19-19 and winners of 10 of their last 13 games, the Mavericks play the 27-9 Dawgs in Okotoks again tonight, then return home to face them at Athletic Park Thursday.
