NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks pitcher Jacob Prosh throws a pitch in the ninth inning of the Mavericks 9-8 loss to the Edmonton Prospects Wednesday night.
The Medicine Hat Mavericks beat themselves Wednesday night.
The Mavericks had an 8-3 lead heading into the last three innings of their game against the Edmonton Prospects and ended up falling 9-8 at Athletic Park.
Medicine Hat(4-4) allowed four runs in the seventh but carried an 8-7 lead into the ninth before the Prospects hit a solo home run to tie it. With a runner on second, Prospects second basemen Dominic Meza hit a fly ball down the left side of the field that appeared to land foul but was called fair by the home plate umpire.
Edmonton gained the 9-8 lead as the Mavericks bench exploded in disbelief. Head coach Tyler Jeske pleaded his case with the umpire and was ejected from the contest. Jeske said post game the Mavericks can’t put themselves in a position to be dependent on a call from the umpire.
“…We have to be better. The players deserve better, both teams deserve better and the fans deserve better,” Jeske said. “The fans come out here to support us, it was a great crowd tonight and (I’m) very appreciative of that. But bottom line, we can’t put ourselves in that position.”
Jeske said he hopes the Mavericks players see his ejection as a sign of how much he cares about them and the team.
“This is how much I care, I hope you care the same. That’s the standard of the expectation,” Jeske said. “I texted my mom postgame and I go ‘Hey, I just got ejected on my birthday. My family got a good kick out of that. But at the same time, you got to protect them and you’ve got to let them know, I’ve got your back.”
Garrett Nicholson started the game for the Mavericks and only threw an inning and a third with three strikeouts. Hunter Cooper came in form the bullpen and kept the Prospects off the board with five strikeouts in four and a thirds innings of work.
Bryce Libke took over on the mound in the seventh and could not get an out. Jeske said post game Libke left the game because of sickness. Isaiah Bartels took over on the bump and struck out two in his two innings of relief.
Jacob Prosch was handed the ball in the ninth inning and was charged with the loss after allowing the solo home run and the RBI double.
The Mavericks were led offensively by third basemen Nathan Ade, who had three hits and two RBIs. The Davis, Calif. product said the team can’t pin the loss on anyone and they have to take it as a team. He said seeing Jeske, pithing coach Rod White and assistant coach Michael Forgione defend them in the ninth inning gives him the knowledge that they will have their backs.
“It not only gives me but it gives the rest of the team a sense of comfort knowing that they’re gonna have our back,” Ade said. “As long as we do our jobs, they’re gonna always have our backs, so we can go out there and fight for them every day like they will fight for us.”
The Mavericks fell behind early in the first inning, allowing three runs before storming back in the bottom of the second with six runs of their own. Left fielder Austin Capps, first basemen Kristoff Swanson, shortstop Adrian Salazar and Ade each drove in a run in that big inning for the Mavs. Catcher Deon Reese drove in two runs himself in the frame.
Medicine Hat challenged in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and only one out. But they could not get the ball to find the grass.
The Mavericks lost 6-4 to the Okotoks Dawgs on May 31 after leading 3-1 after five innings. Jeske said his message to the team post game was they can’t keep blowing leads.
“Anytime you score eight runs, I mean, we had an 8-3 lead at one point and it was like feeling pretty good. You just can’t blow leads like that,” Jeske said. “Bottom line, my post game message to the team was pitching staff, we’ve got to step up. We can’t, this is twice in the last week now that we’ve lost the ball game, where we’ve scored eight. Bottom line, you can’t lose those games. I made it clear to though Hey, I have no problem calling out the offence when we lose the ball game 3-2 but losing the game 9-8 when you have a big lead, just can’t happen.”
The Mavericks don’t have long to stew about Wednesday’s loss as they are in Lethbridge Thursday to take on the Bulls before returning home Friday to host the Brooks Bombers.
