The Moose Jaw Miller Express is the hottest team in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) – and on a historic level – as it locked in its position in this year’s East Division playoffs. With a 10-3 win Thursday night at Ross Wells Park over the Swift Current 57’s, the Millers earned their 13th consecutive win – a franchise record. Westin Wells, who leads the WCBL in strikeouts – pitched six scoreless innings in a quality start for the Millers. The win boosted by Caden Ransom’s solo homerun to lead off the sixth inning. While Swift climbed their way back even in the top of the eighth inning, a seven-run bottom half propelled by back-to-back RBI base hits by Chris Franks and Eduardo Saenz, clinching Moose Jaw’s spot in the postseason. Thirteen wins is the longest winning streak in the WCBL since 2018 when Medicine Hat rattled off 13 in-a-row that season. The WCBL record is 18 wins, also set by the Mavericks back in 2013. Moose Jaw has also lost just seven of its last 31 games dating back to June 13. Five wins short of tying the league record, the Millers will face Medicine Hat at home Friday, before a three-game-set with Swift Current on the weekend. A victory in all four games would see Moose Jaw attempt to tie the record Monday against Weyburn. With 14 games remaining in their regular season schedule, Moose Jaw (31-11) sits atop the WCBL’s East Division by 0.5 games over the Saskatoon Berries (31-12). Two-horse race As the regular season enters its final few weeks, a two-horse race for the top seed in the East division has emerged. As of Friday morning, Saskatoon and Moose Jaw are 12 games clear of third place Regina. The Berries were on the road Thursday night in Fort MacMurray, Alta. Needing extra innings, Ethan Murdoch drove in the game-winning run in the 10th on an RBI double. Josh Henson would drive Murdoch home a couple batters later as Saskatoon staved off a late Giants’ comeback to win 6-4 – their fifth in a row. Sitting a half-game back of the Millers, Saskatoon also clinched their playoff position with the victory. In their third season as a WCBL franchise, the Berries have reached the postseason each year since a Saskatoon team returned to the league. As close as the top two teams are, the regular season division title may come down to a looming game 56 – when Moose Jaw visits Saskatoon in the final game of the regular season Aug. 5.
