Express edge Indians

As batter after batter in the Western Major Baseball League has found out this season, Moose Jaw Miller Express pitcher Skylar Crawford is pretty good.
The Florida Marlins 2007 draft pick - together with three relievers - mowed down an uncharacteristically punchless Swift Current Indians line-up in a 2-0 win for the Express Sunday.
"I was on a pitch count, and I was at 97 through five," said Crawford, who struck out 10 - including six in a row during one stretch between the third and fifth innings.
"I love striking guys out," he said, "You know what happens, I'm trying to hit my spots and then you get the strikeouts like that. When they swing, they're fouling it off."
Crawford has a strong, live arm but he isn't used to pitching so often and it was sore going into this game.
"I"m just getting stronger and stronger," he said. "This is the first time I've pitched with the five day rest. In college ball, we throw seven, but I felt great tonight so it's a good feeling for me."
While he, Jeff Cheesman, Brett Wieterman and David Mittelberger combined to allow only six hits, the Express themselves only had seven in the game. The Express didn't get a significant rally going until the fifth inning, when they loaded the bases with none out. They then went down 1-2-3 without getting a run across but were able to keep momentum.
"We didn't get rattled," said Express coach Justin Fuhler. "We came right back out at them and we didn't let that affect us as we have other games this year."
Chris Gordon led off the sixth inning with a double and took third base on a Scott Moerike groundout. Up stepped Express leading RBI man Dustin Hughes, who hit a shot to second base. Fielder Shawn Lee bobbled it, but Gordon scored as Hughes grounded out.
"(With) runners in scoring position, you've either got to hit it up the middle or the other way and make the other team make the mistake, like they did," Hughes said.
Hughes was also responsible for the insurance run, as with Moerike at second, Hughes' shot to the right side of the infield ate up Lee again and the throw home bounced off catcher Brian Goliber's head.
The Express seem to have Swift Current's number this season, handing them two of their eight losses in 2007. One of the reasons for the team's success Sunday was the strong relief pitching, as the game was closed off by Mittelberger.
Mittelberger was lifted in the middle of a ninth-inning, seven-run meltdown against Okotoks Friday. But against Swift Current Sunday, the Indians rested their big veteran bats - Joe Carnahan, Conrad Funk and Kelly Horaska - until the top of the ninth inning when they were used as pinch-hitters.
"I was just so proud to see Dave go out there and throw strikes and pitch how he's capable," said Fuhler. "He was facing three of their best hitters . . . and I thought he did a great job. I was happy to see that."
In the Express' other game on the weekend they lost 4-0 at home to the Okotoks Dawgs.
EXPRESS TRACKS: The shutout against Swift Current was the first time the Indians have been shut out in the regular season or playoffs since July 28, 2005, when Yorkton won 2-0 on the last day of the season. The Indians have won the last two WMBL titles . . . The hailed out game from July 2 against Yorkton has been rescheduled for July 14 at Ross Wells Park . . . The Express' next action is Tuesday in Regina against a struggling Red Sox team before a home game Wednesday against the Saskatoon Yellowjackets.