MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- The Moose Jaw Miller Express have had their share of big comebacks in recent years, but none can compare to what they put together on Friday night at Ross Wells Park.
From the stakes at hand to the situation at the time and the calibre of their opponent, by almost every metric their 8-7 win over the Okotoks Dawgs in Game 3 of the Western Canadian Baseball League was one of the biggest in team history.
As a result, the Express will make the trip west to Okotoks and take the field in the third and deciding game of the best-of-three championship final on Saturday night, marking the second time in the last three years the two teams will play a winner-take-all game for the WCBL title.
“It was awesome and they showed a lot of heart,” said Miller Express head coach Eric Marriott. “These guys have worked hard all year for this, the whole reason we do this is to get to the Finals every year, we don’t do it for the 56 games and go home. These guys have shown a lot of resiliency over the last couple weeks, there’s a reason why we’re in the Finals and now there’s a reason why we’re going to Game 3.”
To put it simply, things looked as bleak as could be for the Miller Express heading into the eighth inning.
Okotoks had steadily chipped away with runs throughout the game, and went into the penultimate frame with a 7-3 lead. Given the Dawgs’ depth and skill in the bullpen, that should have marked the death knell for Moose Jaw’s season.
Around 20 minutes later, the Express had their miracle -- five runs scored on three hits and two walks and an 8-7 lead coming home.
Veteran infielder and number nine hitter Bobby Pokorney had the biggest at-bat of them all, standing in as a wild pitch scored Jafari Williams to tie the game and then lacing a single to left field to bring home Ryan Gouldin with the go-ahead run.
“We know (Okotoks reliever Ashton Leura) throws hard, and it’s tough with the lights out here, too, so it makes it extra hard, but I was just trying to jump on a fastball,” Pokorney said in describing his at-bat. “I just happened to get one over the plate and got good hands on it… It was electric, man. We put our heart and soul into this MX jersey right here and there’s no better feeling than getting a hit like that for the boys.”
Even with the lead, there was still the matter of getting things done in the top of the ninth against an absolute offensive powerhouse. Matt Vasquez had picked up the final out in the eighth and attempted to earn the save, but a couple of walks saw him leave the game with one out.
Enter Westin Walls.
The Terrell, Texas product had tossed a 122-pitch complete game win over Saskatoon only three nights earlier, but the Express hoped he had two more outs in his arm in the most crucial of situations.
Four pitches later, Walls got Caleb Lumbard to hit into a 6-4-3 double play, and the Miller Express had their miracle win.
“After the last game I didn’t see myself in this spot, but the team asked and I was fortunate enough to deliver,” Walls said. “Some people might say it’s a little nerve-wracking, but I love being in that position. When it’s a big moment and the crowd goes quiet, that’s when I like to be out there on the bump.
“It was electric, this was a big game and it’s the final round and we’re trying to win the ‘ship,” Walls added. “This is my first time in Canada, my first time playing for the Millers and I want to take it home with me. So let's go tomorrow and finish it off.”
Okotoks had staked themselves to a 5-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth when third-year veteran Austin Gurney came up with a three-run home run to make it a two-run game.
Seeing his most experienced players -- and especially the team’s graduating seniors -- get the job done at the most important point of the season was especially heartening for Marriott.
“We love our seniors, we tell our guys every day ‘don’t play for the coaches, play for the seniors’ and they’ve done a lot for Miller Express baseball,” he said. “Some of these guys have been here for years and hundreds of games, our seniors are a big part of why we’re here and we expect them to play a big part tomorrow night.”
Both the Express and Dawgs were back on the bus less than an hour after the game, making the six-hour trip west to Okotoks for Game 3 on Saturday night. That contest will be played in front of close to 6,000 fans in Seaman Stadium, making for an electric atmosphere that Marriott hopes his charges will benefit from.
“It’ll be all hands on deck,” he said. “The bullpen, whoever can give us a couple outs will be ready to go, our starting nine will be intact, we’ll go out and play the game and do what we can to bring the championship home.”
