The Red Deer Riggers were shut down just short of a late-inning comeback against the Sherwood Park Athletics Tuesday at Great Chief Park.
Red Deer trailed 7-2 heading into the home half of the final inning and after a Kevin Curran two-RBI single, the sticks suddenly but only briefly looked alive.
Cather Curtis Mazurkewich added a two-out RBI single, but the rally fell short after that and Sherwood Park snagged the 7-5 win. Mazurkewich and Denver Wik were the only two Riggers with multiple hits on the night.
Red Deer managed nine hits total in the game.
The contest was the final game of the Sunburst Baseball League season and Curran said with the playoff matchups set, the Riggers were just concentrated on getting a few extra at-bats for different players.
“Slow start and a slow finish. Two innings cost us really,” said Curran.
“Guys were just getting their work in so it’s not a big loss to our egos or anything. If our pitchers do what they’ve done all year and we play sharp defence, we usually win those games. Just limit the mistakes and a big inning here or there and hopefully, our offence gives us that.”
Josh Edwards started on the mound for the Riggers and pitched four innings. After allowing three runs in the top of the first, Edwards shut the Athletics out for the next three. He struck out four and only walked one in the outing.
Red Deer trailed just 3-2 heading into the top of the seventh inning but allowed four Sherwood Park runs to cross the plate in the top of the frame.
Davin Gulbransen entered in relief and after pitching two scoreless innings but allowed four in his final frame of work.
Cole Jackson and Tate Yuzda had two RBI for the Athletics while Rejean Bourget went two-for-four on the night. Brett Higgins threw five strong innings and allowed just one earned run to pick up the win for Sherwood Park.
The Riggers will start the first round, best-of-three playoff series on Aug. 7, when they host the St. Albert Tigers. Game 2 of the series is set for Aug. 8 in St. Albert and Game 3 if necessary will be Aug. 10 at Great Chief Park.
“No surprises. We’ve seen all their pitchers all year. Just play clean and that’s the key. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins those games,” Curran added.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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