Express pounded by Red Sox

For the third straight game the Moose Jaw Miller Express dug themselves a hole they couldn't get out of after the first inning.
The Express gave up five first-inning runs to the Regina Red Sox in 16-5 loss. It is the Express' fourth-straight loss in Western Major Baseball League play.
"We put ourselves in a pretty big hole in the first inning down 5-0," said Express coach Michael Hunt.
The Express had been see the eventual winning run cross the plate in the first inning in two straight games. Monday, the Sox got the winning run in the second inning as they went up 6-0, but clearly the Express aren't giving themselves a chance to win with their slow starts.
"I think it's just a lot of mental preparation," said Hunt. "Unfortunately the feeling is that we can sit back and maybe wait a few innings, but then we keep digging ourselves a pretty big hole and it's that much harder to get out of it.
"With playing games every single day, I think it's maybe not physically draining, but maybe a little bit mentally. Guys just aren't used to having to strap it on every single day."
The Express' record drops to 7-11 and their losing skid has seen them drop 4 1/2 games behind Swift Current in the Central Division standings and only a game and a half ahead of Saskatoon.
Despite falling behind early, the Express were able to rally and score five runs of their own as they cut the Sox lead to 8-5 by the seventh inning stretch and made a game of it.
"We end up having the bases loaded with none out and got three base hits in a row so guys really started to barrel up on the ball," said Hunt. "We were just dead for the first four innings and it wasn't until the fifth, sixth and seventh inning that we started to climb up and look like we started to play."
Brandon Loveridge hit a solo home run in the seventh for the Express.
Regina scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth to pad the score.
"In the last inning things kind of fell apart again," said Hunt.
Taylor Elder took the loss for the Express while Wil Thomas and Bryan Asnicar got time in relief.
"Unfortunately Taylor got the brunt of that five-run inning and his pitch count got up pretty high and he started to run out of gas," said Hunt. "I liken Regina to Swift Current - they can swing it. Taylor made some great pitches and they were able to go get it away and knock them in for singles."
In addition to their slow starts, the Express have been woeful on the road. They have a 1-6 record away from home. They will practice today before heading off to Saskatoon Wednesday and Melville Thursday to close out a three-game road swing.