The Weyburn Beavers and Regina Red Sox combined for 28 strikeouts and seven hits in a defensive duel at Tom Laing Park Tuesday night. The Beavers would be the ones to come out on top, winning 1-0. The victory is the first of the season for the Beavers.
"A lot different than last night, I can tell you that much," Beavers head coach Dusty Kerns said after the game, referring to Monday's 13-11 loss to the Swift Current 57s. "The pitchers just came out and absolutely dominated."
The lone run of the game came in the eighth inning when a double by Braeden Cordes brought home Simon Virostek.
Red Sox reliever Kade Douglas had come on to start the inning for Regina and proceeded to strike out the first batter he faced. Then, he forced a grounder to third to get the second out. He followed it up by walking Virostek, and then Cordes, in his first game with the Beavers, drove in the lone run of the game.
On the mound, both starters put up impressive numbers. Regina's Andy Cook went seven innings, giving up two hits and striking out 13 while walking just one.
For the Beavers, Jared Miller went six innings, striking out nine and allowing four hits while walking one. Miller would get himself out of a few jams during the game, including on in the fifth inning.
An error, a walk and a single loaded the bases for Miller. He followed it up by striking out the fourth batter he faced, forcing the next batter to hit a ground ball to first for the play at home, and then a line drive fielded by Cordes at shortstop ended the inning.
John Nicholson came on in relief in the seventh, and walked two batters, and struck out one, while not giving up a hit. Anthony Portcellato then pitched the eighth, striking out one and not giving up a hit to earn the win on the mound.
Newcomer David Dawson then came out to finish the game off, and would walk three batters, but also struck out three to close out the game, earning a save in his first appearance of the season.
"Cordes and Dawson, those guys literally came in here today and were just ready to play, so we threw them in there," said Kerns of the performance by the new arrivals.
The performance by Cook can't be overlooked either. Going seven innings, he struck out thirteen, and only allowed three baserunners all game.
The Beavers will now get ready to face the Edmonton Prospects Thursday and Friday at Tom Laing Park.