Strong pitching and solid defence helped turn the Moose Jaw Miller Express into the hottest team in the Western Major Baseball League down the stretch.
Those two areas of their game abandoned the Express in Thursday’s opener of their East Division final series.
The Express committed three errors and their pitchers surrendered 18 hits in a 12-2 loss to the Regina Red Sox. Game 2 will be played tonight (7 p.m., Ross Wells Park) in Moose Jaw.
Express head coach Michael Hunt felt their problems were twofold — at the plate and in the field.
“Defensively we didn’t make many errors, but we didn’t make plays,” said Hunt. “We had some ground balls that we could have laid out on — you never know. I’ve seen us make those plays this season and we just didn’t make them today.”
The Express had their struggles this season and Hunt is confident that they can rally following a heavy defeat. They lost a game by eight runs or more six times during the regular season — they won their next game four of the six times.
“The guys aren’t down on themselves. Nobody’s carrying themselves like the series is over. Nobody is hitting the panic button and neither am I,” said Hunt. “This season, so far, after some pretty lopsided outcomes, we have come back and played well.
“I expect the same thing (Friday).”
Mike Rahrich had been nearly untouchable in the month of July as he won all five of his starts. In Game 1, the Express ace allowed five runs and 10 hits in six innings of work.
He didn’t get much help as three errors led to the first four Red Sox runs. The Express were trailing 5-0 when Cory Ridenour came in to pitch the seventh. The Red Sox added five runs on five hits and a walk to go ahead 10-0.
Regina gave Braden Keathley his first start of the playoffs and he rewarded his coach’s faith as he put forth his best start of the season. Keathley gave up four hits in seven innings and allowed two runs.
In the eighth the Express loaded the bases with none out and got two runs across when Scott Hornstra and Ben Douglas were able to drive in Jon Cotter and Zack Cadet.
For more please read Friday’s Times-Herald.
