By Scott Roblin

Mavericks pitchers combine to silence Prospects 3-1

Jun 5, 2019 | 10:48 PM

EDMONTON, AB – While it was offence that guided the Medicine Hat Mavericks to victory on Tuesday, it was defence winning the day on Wednesday in the province’s capital.

Medicine Hat’s pitching staff combined to allow just four hits from the Edmonton Prospects, sweeping their mid-week series with a 3-1 victory at RE/MAX Field.

Ace Brandon Ponticelli was masterful in his first start of the season, allowing just one hit and one run over five innings of work to earn his first win in a Mavericks uniform.

With the bases loaded early in the second inning, Medicine Hat took their first lead of the night with Cameron Pope coming through with a sacrifice-fly to right field to bring home John Velasco.

After Austin Sojka successfully stole second base in the fifth, Mavericks outfielder Freddy Walker connected on a single to bring Sojka around home to double Medicine Hat’s lead to a pair.

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Ponticelli’s lone miscue of the night came one inning later, serving one up over home plate for a solo shot from Edmonton’s Eric Crain to make it a 2-1 contest.

Hanging on by a thread, Mavericks veteran bat Sal Rodriguez grounded out in the seventh inning to Prospects short stop Javier Ramirez.

However, that opened the door for Sojka to trot home from third base to extend Medicine Hat’s lead again to a pair, holding as the final score from Edmonton.

Mavericks relievers Flynn Ridley, Hunter Cooper, and John Rains turned in exception performances on the mound with a combined three hits allowed and six strikeouts over four innings.

On the sticks, Medicine Hat put up 11 hits on the Prospects with Walker, Colton Wright, Russell Strilchuk, and Nolan Rattai all trying for the team lead with two each.

Winning both of their games in Edmonton, the now 4-2 Mavericks continue their road trip through northern Alberta with a four game set at Shell Place against the Fort McMurray Giants.

The opening game of the series against the Giants goes Thursday evening at 7:05 pm.