Prospects hang on to beat the Bulls

By Dale Woodard on July 3, 2021.

The Lethbridge Bulls and Edmonton Prospects continue to swap wins as they get better acquainted heading into their Western Canadian Baseball League weekend series.

On Friday night at Spitz Stadium, it was the Prospects turn to snag the ‘W” as Edmonton posted a 9-7 victory despite a five RBI night from Bulls second baseman Jack Ray.

On Canada Day Thursday the Prospects won in a 6-5 walkoff before the Bulls responded in the second game of the double header with a convincing 14-2 win.

In Game 3 Friday night, the Bulls nearly had a comeback, falling behind 9-3 by the top of the fifth inning and pulling it to within two runs.

Lethbridge put Evan Symons and Josh Kabayama on with one out in the ninth, but were unable to bring them in as Edmonton closed out the win.

With the loss the Bulls are 4-4, while the Prospects improve to 7-3.

The Prospects snagged an early 3-0 lead after one-and-a-half innings, but the Bulls battled back to tie it with three in their half of the second.

Symons drew a leadoff walk, while Kabayama and Nick Gravel each singled to load the bases with none out.

Ray doubled to right field to score Symons and Kabayama and Gravel scored on a sacrifice fly from Noah Or to knot things at 3-3 after two innings.

But the Prospects started pulling away in the fourth inning with pair of runs and a 5-3 lead that ended Bulls starter Max Benton’s night.

The visitors kept it coming in the fifth, plating four more runs for a 9-3 lead.

The Bulls chipped away at the deficit in the latter stages of the game and got one back in the fifth inning when Or singled to third and scored on a Torrin Vaselenak deep single to second base to make it 9-4 Edmonton.

Lethbridge made it 9-5 in the sixth as Kabayama drew a leadoff walk and crossed on a sacrifice fly from Liam Vulcano.

The hosts set the table for a potential comeback with another pair in the eighth.

Gravel scored on a single from Ray before Ray made it 9-7 on a single to centre field from Or.

But with Symons and Kabayama on in the ninth, Prospects closer Justin Adamoski sealed the deal for the visitors, inducing a fly out to left field off the bat of Gravel and a fly out to second from Ray.

The Bulls outhit the Prospects 12-10.

Hitting leadoff, Or was 3-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI.

Kabayama was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Symons batted also batted 2-for-4 with one run scored.

In addition to his five RBI, giving him eight on the year, Ray was 2-for-5 with one run scored.

For Edmonton, Conor Bronson was 3-for-4 with there runs scored and one RBI.

Brendan Luther was 2-for-5 with three RBI for the Prospects and Devin Heck hit 2-for-5 with one RBI.

Benton took the loss for Lethbridge, going four innings and allowing five runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out five.

Prospects starter Julian Tymochko worked six innings, surrendering five runs on eight hits, walking four and striking out five.

In Thursday’s late game, the Bulls offensive outburst was led by Brad Goodwin, who hit 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI, while Vaselenak was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI.

Ty Penner, Or, Carlin Dick and Gravel each had two hits. Dick and Gravel chipped in with two RBI each.

Luther was 2-for-5 for the Prospects with one run scored. Heck had the other multi-hit night, going 2-for-3 with one RBI.

Bulls starter Levi Abbott took the win for the Bulls, throwing five innings and giving up two runs on three hits, walking three and striking out seven.

Edmonton starter Wyatt Anderson was tagged with the loss.

The teams are back at it tonight at 7:05 p.m. at Spitz Stadium and close out the weekend Sunday at 2:05 p.m.

Follow @@DWoodardHerald on Twitter

Comments are closed.