A three-run home run from Brayden Mayencourt, and a two-run blast from Ryan Muizelaar helped power the Weyburn Beavers to a 9-6 win over the Regina Red Sox Thursday night. The win snapped a three-game losing streak but would need some help from the Moose Jaw Miller Express in closing the gap on Swift Current for the final playoff berth in the East Division.
The Beavers jumped out to an early lead in Regina, with Robert Gurney starting things off with a single to left that brought in two runs. Then, with runners on first and second Mayencourt hit his first home run of the season to make it 5-0 Weyburn. The second inning saw Trent Lawson drive in two more runs with a single to short, making it 7-0 Weyburn early.
The Red Sox replied with two runs in the bottom of the second, another in the third, and one more in the fifth to make it 7-4. They would then score one more in the seventh inning to make it 7-5.
Weyburn replied in the top of the eighth inning, with Muizelaar greeting pitcher Kade Douglas by taking the first pitch he saw out of the park. The two-run homer made it 9-5. Regina would add one more run in the bottom of the eighth, but closer Jacob Clark came out for the 9th inning and shut down the Red Sox, earning the save in the process.
On the mound, the Beavers had relatively strong performances, starting with Owen McConnell. He went seven innings to start the game, striking out five while allowing four earned runs. Jamin Smith pitched the eighth inning, and Clark finished things off with a strikeout.
The Beavers are still 4.5 games back of the 57s after they topped the Miller Express 8-7. The Beavers will need all the help they can get if they are to make the playoffs, and will need another big win Friday night in Regina in a rematch against the Red Sox.