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By Scott Roblin

Four Straight

Sixth inning swings return Mavericks to .500 record against Brooks

Jul 13, 2019 | 10:56 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – It’s been quite the wait for the Medicine Hat Mavericks to reach even again, but they did just that on Saturday almost a month to the day they last held a .500 mark.

Medicine Hat’s bats exploded in the sixth inning at Athletic Park against the Brooks Bombers, scoring all seven of their runs in a 20-minute span to speed towards a 7-2 victory.

Saturday’s game featured very little offence until the top of the fifth inning, which saw Brooks take a 2-0 lead after a Danny Donnelly single scored Brendan Kates and Clifford Pradd who had advanced bases due to a wild pitch.

Designated hitter Taylor Wright got the Mavericks on the board in the sixth with a one-out single, cashing in Austin Sojka from third base.

Sal Rodriguez continued his hot play of late a few batters later, connecting on a Bombers pitch for a double to score Wright and P.J. Garcia to boost Medicine Hat’s lead to three.

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Hometown product Nolan Rattai kept the good times rolling for the Mavericks with a double to bring home Rodriguez, before catcher Colton Wright grounded into a play at short stop to score Rattai.

Trotting up to home plate for the second time in the inning, Sojka extended his hit streak to seven games and brought in Russell Strilchuk and Collin Klingensmith to make it a 7-2 game.

Holding a comfortable lead, Medicine Hat ace Brandon Ponticelli’s night came to an end after five innings with zero earned runs allowed on five hits while compiling six strikeouts.

Ponticelli also earned his second victory of the season, his first since June 5, to move his record on the year to 2-3.

Medicine Hat’s rebounding bullpen had another strong outing in relief of Ponticelli, with Hunter Cooper and Austin Oulds allowing just one Bombers hit over the final three innings of work.

At the plate, Medicine Hat’s offence was spread out between seven players reaching base with Sojka, Rodriguez, and Colton Wright all earning RBIs in the win.

Reaching a mark of .500 for the first time since June 12, the 18-18 Mavericks have won their last four in a row and nine of their last 11 since June 29.

That’s moved the Mavs into a tie for second place in the WCBL’s Western Division with the Lethbridge Bulls, with just a game separating second from fifth in the divisional playoff race.

Taking two straight against the Bombers, Medicine Hat will have a chance at the sweep on Sunday evening in Brooks with opening pitch set for 6:05 pm.