By Mitch Bach

WCBL Baseball

Rodriguez’ three-run shot leads Mavs to 8-2 victory over Dawgs

Jul 10, 2019 | 7:43 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Sal Rodriguez let it fly in the seventh inning, mashing a three-run homer through left-center field to lead the Medicine Hat Mavericks to an 8-2 victory over the Okotoks Dawgs on Wednesday night at Athletic Park.

This snaps the West-leading Dawgs five-game win streak, and it comes one night after the Mavericks suffered a final-inning collapse in Okotoks to lose 5-4.

Medicine Hat improves to 15-18 on the campaign, and have won six of the last eight. They remain in a tight race for second in the West, while the Dawgs remain comfortably out front despite dropping to 25-7.

Medicine Hat returns to action on Thursday, hosting the Lethbridge Bulls at 7:05 p.m.

First inning:

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Following up Tuesday’s ninth inning collapse in Okotoks, four Mavericks batters connected for RBI’s. Those included Nolan Rattai, Sal Rodriguez, Russell Strilchuck, and Colton Wright.

Making his first start since Canada Day, Garrett Nicholson sent his first three Dawgs batters back to the dugout with two fly-outs and a put-out at first.

Fourth inning:

Despite a lead-off single from Freddy Walker, the Mavericks are unable to capitalize, and remain leading 4-0.

Sixth inning:

It took 19 batters before Garrett Nicholson allowed his first hit. Okotoks batter Kory Longaker, who banged the walk-off two-RBI single on Wednesday, was first to solve the Mavericks left-hander.

Nicholson allowed a walk after tossing aside his next two batters, but managed to strand two Dawgs and escape the sixth frame without allowing a run.

In the bottom half of the sixth, Nolan Rattai took advantage of an error made by the Dawgs catcher. The local product attempted to steal third base when the throw from the catcher went wide. With the ball rolling into the outfield, Rattai was able to easily score, lifting the Mavericks to a 5-0 advantage.

Seventh inning:

Okotoks’ Tristin Peters rocked a line-drive up the middle to score Dave Tofteland from second base, putting the Dawgs on the board.

On the next batter, Kory Longaker hit a sac-fly to score JT Patterson and cut the Mavericks lead to 5-2.

In the bottom half, Sal Rodriguez smashed a massive three-run homer through left-center field to make it 8-2. Rodriguez has been a critical piece to the Mavs offence this season, batting .326 with hits in 14 of his last 15 games. This was his first home-run since June 22, when the Mavericks suffered an 11-3 loss to the Edmonton Prospects.

Click here for complete box-score.