The Yorkton Cardinals have struggled out of the gate in the Western Major Baseball League, having won only two games in eight outings.
The resulting .250 winning percentage have the Cardinals mired in the basement of the league's East Division 5.5 games back of front-running Regina. Weyburn sits second, three games back of first with Melville third, 3.5 games back. The most recent loss for Yorkton came as the Cardinals headed south along Highway #10 to face the rival Melville Millionaires for Sunday afternoon action.
A shaky defensive first inning which ended up with Melville scoring four was the difference as the Cardinals would fall by an eventual 11-2 score.
Luis Lora started the game and went five, taking the loss giving up six hits and six runs, but only two of those earned.
Robert Rivers and Ghazaleh Sailors pitched in relief.
James Green had the one big hit for Yorkton as he pounded a triple against his former team, plating a run batted in with the knock of the outfield fence.
Thursday night
The Weyburn Beavers visited Jubilee Park Thursday, scoring one in the top of the first inning. The lead was short-lived as the host Cardinals responded with two in the home half of the first.
The Beavers would tie the score 2-2 with a run in the third, only to have the Cardinals reassert a one run lead plating one in the sixth. The difference in the game would prove to be the eighth inning when Weyburn scored three unanswered runs to take an eventual 5-3 win.
Sean Gavin went to the hill for Yorkton in his first action since starting in the 22-2 loss in Regina earlier in the season. He would last five innings, and earn game star laurels in allowing only two runs, both of those earned, while scattering seven hits and striking out five.
After two innings of solid relief work by Yesniel Henriquez, Luis Lora would be tagged with the loss, giving up three runs, all of them earned on four hits in one-third inning of work in the eighth.
Cardinal head coach Bill Sobkow said Gavin's effort was certainly the bright spot in the loss given the earlier effort in Regina. He said against the Red Sox, "he had a hard time with his control, a hard time with velocity," but added Gavin turned that around against Weyburn. "Tonight he was so, so disciplined."
Sobkow credited assistant coach Jared Franklin with Gavin's turn around.
"Jared and Sean went off to the side and had a good bullpen," he said, adding they worked the session over a 45-foot toss, and it seemed to put Gavin back in the zone.
Yorkton did have two runs on in the ninth with two out, but designated hitter Elfrey Abad struck out to end the threat.
"He's (Abad) struggling," said Sobkow, adding "He's just learning the game. He's got a long way to go. This summer will help him."
Sobkow said "a number of guys on our team," will use the summer to become better players which will enhance their college chances.
At the same time Sobkow said the team needs to find a way to win now.
"We are trying to build a team so we can make the playoffs," he said.
However Sobkow was not criticizing performance, suggesting they need to focus ahead.
"We have to go out and play another game Sunday," he said, adding "we have talented players here to put things together."
Rivals visit
The Millionaires were at Jubilee Park last Wednesday, striking first with a pair of runs in the third inning.
While the Cardinals would score three in the home half of the same inning to take a lead, the Millionaires would eventually emerge from the game 6-4 winners. Ben Sollows started on the mound for Yorkton, going five innings allowing seven hots and three runs, but only one of those earned, before giving way to Robert Rivers. Rivers would be tagged with the loss passed on three innings worth of work over which he gave up four hits, and three runs, two of those earned. Ghazaleh Sailors tossed a scoreless ninth for Yorkton. With the stick David Hole led the Cardinals, both of them doubles, and driving in three Cardinal runs. Hole, who has a home run to his credit this season too admitted with it being his first year in the WMBL, he was expecting to be producing at the plate so well so early.
"The baseball looks like a beach ball right now," he said.
It might also be a factor that most of Hole's baseball in British Columbia has been with a wood bat. Many players say it takes time to adjust from using aluminum to wood. Hole said while he isn't sure, the familiarity with wooden bats may play a role in his early success.
Hole said while the Cardinals have been scoring runs, they have simply given up too many. "When you give up more than four runs a game," you are facing problems, he suggested.
Hole said the issue isn't Cardinal pitching either.
"Defence is killing us right now," said Hole, adding they need to simply handle the baseball better and that should help the Cardinals pick up some wins. Jared Franklin, assistant coach with the Cardinals agreed the pitching, at least against the Mills was not the problem.
"I thought we pitched pretty well tonight," he said, noting Sollows and Rivers both had solid outings.
However, overall the pitching and allowance of so many runs "is a bit of a concern." He said the bullpen may not have enough arms for the weekly grind of the WMBL. "Pitching depth is a bit of a concern."
Franklin, who joins the Cardinal staff from Columbus, Ohio, said one more pitcher is expected to arrive in the city, "and we're still trying to find a couple."
Until helps arrives Franklin said he hopes the current pitching staff settles down. He said since most pitchers are just getting their feet wet in the WMBL they may be trying to impress too much, and overthrowing. He said as they become more relaxed they should become more consistent.
Last Tuesday
The Moose Jaw Miller Express rolled into Yorkton last Tuesday, (June 7), and traveled home in defeat dropping a 10-6 decision to the Cardinals.
The Express actually jumped to an early lead scoring five in the second inning all coming off Yorkton starter Brock Werdel who would stick around for five innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits.
Max McDonald would come in for three innings to get the win. Ghazaleh Sailors pitched a scoreless ninth for her first home field action on the mound.
"The pitching really settled down after the second inning," said Franklin.
On offence the Cardinals scored twice in the third, once in the fourth and added three in the fifth to take a lead. Moose Jaw tied the game with a single run in the seventh, only to have Yorkton score four in the home-half of the same frame to round out their 10-6 win. David Hole and Daniel Harrison each collected two RBIs, and both notched a swiped base to lead the offence. Franklin said the offence was once again solid, with the Cardinals having scored 30 runs over a three-game span.
Up next
The Cardinals were scheduled to host Saskatoon Monday, but the game was postponed.
They head west for four games this week, today and Thursday in Swift Current and then Friday and Saturday in Medicine Hat.
Monday they return home to host Weyburn, with Lethbridge here next Tuesday and Wednesday.
