After a pair of losses the Yorkton Cardinals got back to winning in Western Major Baseball League action Monday.
The Weyburn Beavers were at Jubilee Park where Yorkton jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the second inning.
Weyburn cut into the lead with a run in the third, and one in the fourth before the Cardinals added one in the fourth themselves.
In the fifth Weyburn scored three to take a 5-4 lead, but it was a short-lived lead as Yorkton regained the edge with two in the fifth.
Yorkton added two more in the seventh and one in the eighth for the 9-5 win.
Gavin Collins started the game on the mound for Yorkton going four innings and giving up two runs, one of those earned.
Spencer Jackson would be the third pitcher to the hill for the Cardinals, earning the win based on 1.1 scoreless innings of work.
Austin Doughlas would earn a three inning save giving up only one hit and no runs.
Garret Kizer and Billy Clapperton both had two runs-batted-in for the Cardinals.
The win evened the Cardinal season record at 13-13, leaving them six-games back of front-running Swift Current in the WMBL East. Regina sits second 2.5-games back.
Weyburn sits fourth seven-games back, Moose Jaw 10-back, and Melville are 13.5-games back.
Cardinal head coach Bryn Biancalana said the win was a needed one.
“We’ve had a few tough ones in a row,” he said adding through that stretch “the bullpen struggled a bit.”
That said, Biancalana added he remains confident in the arms he has in the bullpen, and they showed that Monday.
“They got out of some tough situations,” he said, adding as a team the Cardinals “have a lot of inner confidence.”
Things also came together with the bats Monday.
“We had some really good at-bats,” said Biancalana, adding the bottom of the batting order in particular came through Monday.
Garrett Fort had two hits and two runs batting sixth, Kizer was slotted in the seventh hole, with his two hits and three runs, while Ben Schanding had three hits and two runs batting eighth.
Overall Biancalana said the Cardinals are in a good position as the season heads into its final weeks.
“We’ve put ourselves in a good position, and we haven’t played our best baseball,” he assured.
Canada Day action
Moose Jaw paid a visit to Jubilee Field Friday, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning, adding two each in the fifth and south innings to build a 5-0 lead.
The Cardinals scored one in the seventh, only to give that back as Moose Jaw scored one in the eighth.
Yorkton would score three in the eighth to make it 6-4 which would hold as the final score.
Kody Rock started the game and went 5.2 innings, giving up 12 hits, five runs, four of those earned, while striking out four to be tagged with the loss.
Billy Clapperton had a two hit effort to lead the Cardinal offence, scoring a run, and having an RBI.
Sunday Yorkton was in Moose Jaw to again face the Miller Express.
The Cardinals scored twice in the first inning for an early lead.
Moose Jaw cut the lead in half with a single run in the second.
Yorkton added two more in the third and then adding one in the fifth for a 5-1 lead.
But the Miller Express were not finished. They cut into the Cardinal lead with a pair in the eighth, then added three in the ninth for a 6-5 comeback win.
Justin Johnston started the game on the hill for Yorkton tossing 7.1 innings, allowing seven hits, and three runs, all of them earned.
Richard England would complete the game in relief, walking two and giving up one hits in 1.1 innings of work, along with three earned runs, to be tagged with the loss.
Cory Cantebury had a solo home run for Yorkton.
Up next
The Cardinals are scheduled to play in Regina tonight (Wednesday).
They return home to host Brooks, a first-time visit for the expansion team, with games Thursday and Friday at Jubilee Park.
Then it’s a weekend home-and-home with rival Melville. The Cardinals are to visit Pirie Field in Melville Saturday, then host the Millionaires here Sunday.
