The Yorkton Cardinals spent last week in Alberta, emerging from the rough six-game road swing with a pair of wins.
The four-loss week saw the Cardinals’ Western Major Baseball League record drop to 18-23 and third place in the Saskatchewan Division, 1.5 games back of Regina, and eight off the pace of front-running Weyburn. Moose Jaw sits fourth 9.5 off-the-pace, followed by Melville 10-back with Swift Current in the basement 12.5 back.
Trip starts well
The Cardinals started their Alberta trip in Edmonton last Tuesday.
The Prospects scored first, plating one in the seventh, but Yorkton tied them with one in the eighth, taking the lead with another in the ninth, only to have that matched in the home half of the frame to force extra innings.
It would take 11-innings before Yorkton would secure a 4-2 win with a pair of unanswered runs.
Jamie Whitehead would do yeoman’s service as the Cardinal starter going eight innings scattering eight hits and giving up the two earned runs. He walked a trio and struck out two.
But it would be Aidan Goodall who would earn the win in three innings of scoreless relief.
Landon Briscoe would be the offensive hero after an error and walk put two on with two outs in the 11th as he delivered a two-run double for the eventual winning runs.
A night later Eric Nerl would weave a gem on the mound for Yorkton, tossing a complete game in which he allowed only four hits, no runs, and struck out two.
On offence the Cardinals plated one in the second, then added another in the seventh for the win.
Onto Okotoks
Thursday in Okotoks the Cardinals traded runs in the fourth and sixth with the Dawgs, but they could not match two-run innings in the fifth and seventh as the Dawgs won 6-2.
Rodney McKay threw six innings as the Cardinal starter allowing four earned runs on eight hits to be tagged with the loss.
Friday the Cardinals would score three runs in the eighth inning and one in the ninth as they attempted a comeback, trailing 9-0 after seven innings in an eventual 9-4 loss to the Dawgs.
Codie Scanlon would last only four innings as the Yorkton starter, allowing six runs, five of those earned, and nine hits while striking out six to take the loss.
Tristin Rizek had a pair of RBIs for the Cards.
Running with the Bulls
Lethbridge might be leading the Alberta Division, but the Cardinals kept with them in action Saturday.
The Bulls jumped out to a 9-1 lead after five innings, thanks in-large-part to a five-run fourth.
Then the Cardinal bats got into the action, as they scored three in the sixth, four in the seventh and two in the eighth to take a 10-9 lead.
But the Bulls responded to tie the game at 10 with a run in the home-half of the eighth.
Yorkton would edge ahead in extra innings plating a run in the 10th, but again the Bulls matched it the bottom of the frame.
Finally in the 11th the Bulls would score for a 12-11 win.
Garrett Osterode was the Cardinal starter, but he lasted only four innings, allowing nine runs, eight of those earned on eight hits.
By the time the game was decided Aaron Dick was on the mound for the loss, giving up two runs in seven hits through 2.2 innings of work.
Griff Goyer had three RBIs for the Cardinals, while Dondrei Hubbard had two.
Sunday the score was again close in Lethbridge.
After spotting the Bulls a 4-0 lead giving up a quartet of runs in the sixth, Yorkton scored twice in their eighth and once in the ninth to make it close.
It was a night of missed opportunities for Yorkton who had 16 hits and still left 13 on base.
Camran Bonnema went six innings as the Cardinal starter, allowing the four runs on nine hits.
Rizek has two RBIs for the Cardinals.
Up next
The Cardinals play host to Medicine Hat Thursday and Friday, then swing south to face Swift Current Saturday and Sunday.
