After losing nine of their first ten games, and four straight coming into this weekend’s action, the Fort McMurray Giants have now started a streak of their own thanks to a 7-3 win over the Lethbridge Bulls on Saturday afternoon at Shell Place.
“I thought it was our most complete game of the season as a team.” said Sam Hersh, who was the starting pitcher for the Giants.
After scoring seven runs in the first inning on Friday en route to a 14-1 win, the Giants (3-9) jumped out of the gate once again on Saturday afternoon with a four-run first inning.
Once again, it was the patience at the plate that benefited the Giants. They scored three runs off of walks in the first inning, and Keegan Marsden had a RBI single.
“We threw a few punches early with that four-spot in the first, and that was really important for us.” said Hersh.
The Bulls (8-4) scored three runs, one in the top of the second, and two in the top of the fourth, but those three runs were the last runs they would score as a team.
The Giants came back with one each in the bottom of the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings.
Hersh went six complete innings for the Giants, giving up just five hits, and three earned runs.
“I wasn’t as sharp as I would’ve liked to have been. But I really fed off the four runs our offense put up in the first,” said Hersh. “It makes pitching a lot easier. I just tried to compete and keep us in a position to win, and it’s pretty easy to pitch with our defense playing the way they have been, and the early run support.”
Nick Cardinal, from Bonnyville, Alberta came in and shut the door throwing three innings, giving up just one hit while fanning five batters.
“He came in and did a great, he shut the door.” said Hersh.
Keegan Marsden led the offensive force for the Giants with three RBI, while Tyler Friis, Corey Conklin, Evan Willow and Richard Ortiz all picked up one RBI.
The Giants will now have an opportunity to win the series against the Bulls in the back half of the doubleheader on Saturday night at Shell Place with first pitch set for 7:35 p.m.
Tickets for the game are for sale at Giants Tickets, or at the Shell Place Box Office.
Sunday’s series finale between the Bulls and Giants is set for 2:05 p.m., and if you can’t make it down to the ballpark, you can catch all the action on Country93.3 with Darnell Duff, and Richard Kapach beginning at 1:50 with the pregame show.
