NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks outfielder Jordan Phillips barrels up a pitch for the game winning, RBI single in the bottom of the eighth of the Mavs' 12-9 win Wednesday at Athletic Park over the Regina Red Sox.
The Medicine Hat Mavericks flipped the script from a loss to a win Wednesday.
In a reverse of their 12-8 loss Tuesday to the Regina Red Sox, the Mavs overcame two separate leads for a 12-9 win Wednesday night at Athletic Park.
Head coach Kevin Mitchell liked his team’s composure in the win, as they battled back from lost leads to hold the final advantage.
“…we got a lead again and gave some back but the guys were ready to go,” Mitchell said. “We showed great fight, we showed a lot of confidence in really tough spots.
“This felt like about as big as a regular season game could be in terms of needing to have it, so really happy that we pulled it out.”
Just as they had the nigh prior, the Mavs got on the board first.
Medicine Hat poured three runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning.
Centre fielder Brody Gardner had an RBI single that drove in an already running Jordan Phillips, as the right fielder raced from second to third before being able to jog home for the score.
Left fielder Michael Quick knocked in two runs on a hit at the Regina first baseman that handcuffed him, allowing the pair to score for an early 3-0 lead.
Regina pounced back quickly, scoring four runs in the top of the second inning. They strung together a single, a two-run home run, a double and a second two-run home run for a 4-3 lead on eight pitches.
The Mavs got back in the lead, with a two-run double from first baseman Landon Mokris in the bottom of the hits. Shortstop Johnny Vulcano knocked in another run with an RBI single. Gardner followed that score up with an RBI single of his own in the fourth inning for a 7-4 lead.
The Red Sox scored a run in the top of the fifth with an RBI double, ending starter Aidan Lenzen’s night. Cesar Rodriguez took over on the mound with runners on second and third with one out. He induced a fly out and recorded a strikeout to keep Medicine Hat ahead 7-5.
Lenzen’s line finished at five runs on eight hits with a walk and four punch-outs in four and a third innings pitched.
After a clean sixth inning on both sides, Regina tied the game up in the seventh with a two-run home run.
Max Hudlow took over for Rodriguez and the Red Sox kept the offence moving, scoring another run for an 8-7 lead. Leo Woods took over for Hudlow and worked out of the inning with a strikeout and a line drive that hit him before he fielded the out.
The Red Sox added to their tally with a solo home run in the top of the eighth for a 9-7 lead. Regina’s lead didn’t dismay the Mavs, who capitalized quickly.
Vulcano drew a seven-pitch walk, setting the scene for the pinch hitter Nick Thibodeau. The all-star catcher swung at the first pitch he saw, driving the ball over the fence for a two-run home run and a tie ball game.
They continued their push, adding three more runs to the tally for the 12-9 final.
Phillips knocked an RBI single for the game winning run and scored a pitch later, on an RBI single from Gardner. They finished the inning off with an RBI single from Quick. Gardner finished his night with four hits, three runs scored and two RBIs. Quick also tallied three RBIs.
Regina had a lead off single in the top of the ninth and he was erased on a fielders choice play that left another runner at first with one out. He remained there, with Woods recorded a day out and a three-pitch strikeout for the win.
Woods finished his outing with three punch-outs in three innings of work, allowing a lone run on the eighth inning home run, giving up only one other hit. Regina outhit the Mavs 16-15.
The Mavs (27-18) are on the road Thursday at Weyburn for the first of two games against the Beavers.
