Mavericks hold on for 10-9 win Friday

By James Tubb on July 16, 2022.

The Medicine Hat Mavericks had a wild Friday that ended with a win.

After being stuck in the Saskatchewan town of Tompkins for three hours Friday afternoon due to a blown bus tire, the Mavericks rolled out of Swift Current with a 10-9 win over the 57’s.

Friday’s win marks two in a row for the Mavericks who beat Swift Current 10-8 Thursday night at Athletic Park.

Medicine Hat opened the scoring Friday in the second inning with a two run home run from designated hitter Austin Cappas. The Stockton, Calif. product led the Mavericks offensively Friday night with three home runs, five RBIs and two walks.

Swift Current scored three times to take the lead in the bottom of the frame, off Mavericks starter Gerrit Erickson, the first of many lead changes in the contest.

The Mavericks retook the lead in the third, on Cappas’ second home run of the game, another two run blast to left field. Their lead lasted for an inning before the 57’s scored a run in the fifth and sixth innings to pull ahead 5-4.

Gerrit Erickson’s day on the mound was complete after the fifth inning. He picked up five strikeouts in his five innings of work before Isaiah Bartels took over on the bump.

The Mavericks blew the game open, like their bus tire, in the top of the seventh inning to jump ahead 9-4. Cappas got the offence started with his final home run of the night, a solo shot to right field. Centre fielder Braden DeSonia drove in two runs with a two RBI double before catcher Andrew Savage drove him home with a two run home run to left field.

Bartels worked the sixth and seventh innings with three strikeouts as the Mavericks carried their 9-4 lead into the eighth inning. Jack Suhai started the frame and he handed the ball off to Hunter Boylan after walking two batters. Nate Ewing took over for Boylan after the 57’s scored two runs. The Mavericks closer got out of the inning but not before Swift Current plated two more runs on a bases loaded walk and hit by pitch to tie the game up at 9-9 heading into the ninth.

Right fielder David Dell led off the final inning and got on base after being hit by a pitch. He was moved over to second on a single by Savage before a double steal put runners on second and third base with two outs and short stop Nate Ade at the plate. Two pitches later, Dell capitalized on a ball that got through the Swift Current catcher and scored on the wild pitch to give Medicine Hat their 10-9 lead.

Ewing returned to the mound in the ninth inning, looking to shut down the 57’s for the second straight game. Ewing worked the final two innings in the Mavericks win Thursday.

The 57’s hit a one out double that put the tying run in scoring position before a sacrifice hit followed up with a walk had runners on the corners with two outs for Swift Current. Ewing held on and got the final batter to fly out to right field as he and the Mavericks held off Swift Current for the 10-9 victory.

The Mavericks(14-23) are back in action Saturday night in Weyburn for a contest against the Beavers that gets underway at 7:05 p.m.