The Yorkton Cardinals are finally taking flight in the Western Major Baseball League winning four games-in-a-row, and five of their last six.
The winning ways have raised the Cardinal season record to 9-16, but still leaves them in the basement of the WMBL East Division with a .360 winning percentage, 9.5 games back of front-running Regina.
Weyburn is second with a .474 winning percentage, 6.5 games out of first. Melville sits third, seven games back.
Yorkton's most recent win came Monday evening at Jubilee Park in the city with Saskatoon the visitors.
The Yellowjackets scored three in the top of the first, but the Cardinals responded with a pair in the home-half of the inning.
After three the teams were knotted 4-4 and stayed that way until the Cardinals plated one in the seventh for the eventual 5-4 win.
Trevor Daggon started for the Cardinals, and after a shaky first inning when he faced eight and gave up three runs, settled in to go eight innings. He earned the win allowing nine hits and four runs, all of them earned.
Max McDonald finished the game and earned a save.
Jon Mihic was the Cardinal star with two hits, a run-batted-in and a run scored.
When asked what has the Cardinals on a winning streak after the club's worst start ever, assistant coach Jared Franklin said several factors are involved.
"Well we made a couple of personnel changes," he said, adding the late additions of infielders Mark Ellis and Zachary Bott have helped solidify the defence. "Since they arrived we've been five-for -six."
At the same time of the arrivals a couple of players with less than positive attitudes were sent home, and that has helped bench morale, said Franklin.
The move of Landon Briscoe to first base has also helped the defence.
"Briscoe's done a great job for us," said Franklin.
The team defence has made a difference, said Franklin.
"Our defence has really shored up," he said. " The infield has really played a lot better."
And of course wins help improve the mood of things, and can be infectious, said Franklin.
Mihic said the team is feeling better about things on the field.
"I think we're just a lot more confident. I think that's showing," he said. At the beginning of the year we showed bits of it. We knew we could do it, we just weren't showing people."
The philosophy, at least offensively has also changed to simply take runs one at a time.
"If you add one, or two every inning it all adds up," said Mihic, adding they go to the plate with the idea "if we're going to make an out it's going to be a tough out."
Defensive gem
The Cardinals visited Moose Jaw Saturday and found themselves in a pitchers' duel.
The game was scoreless through five, with the Cardinals finally plating one run in the sixth. It would prove to be the only run of the game as Yorkton won 1-0. The run came on an RBI double by Henry Cartagena.
N.D. Gonzalez would go the distance on the mound for the win. It was the first complete game of the season for the Cardinal pitching staff.
Gonzalez allowed only five hits, and struck out eight, while walking only one.
Canada Day win
It was more than the country's birthday Friday for Cardinal fans as the hometown-nine defeated rival Melville 6-2.
The game was tied 2-2 through six, but the Cardinals scored twice in the seventh and added two more in the eighth for the win.
Sean Gavin took the win, tossing seven innings and allowing only five hits and two earned runs.
Max McDonald had the save on two innings of relief.
Henry Cartagena had two RBIs, and Luis Sanchez a pair of steals to lead the offence.
Last Wednesday
The Cardinals hosted Weyburn in a doubleheader at Jubilee Park last Wednesday earning a split.
In the opener the Beavers emerged with a 4-2 win in the seven inning contest.
Yorkton scored one in the home half of the first inning, and led 2-1 until the sixth when the Beavers scored three for the win.
Luis Lora took the loss on the mound throwing 5.2 innings, scattering seven hits and four runs, three of those earned.
Offensively James Green and Kevin McLeod each had two steals.
In the second game of the night it would be the Cardinals scoring three in the sixth for a come-from-behind 5-3 win 1.
Ghazaleh Sailors started the game on the mound, and would be named Cardinal game star for 4.1 innings work, although she would not be around to get the decision. She allowed seven hits, but only two runs.
Robert Rivers earned the win on two innings of relief, while Sean Gavin had the save.
Green had three steals, for a five steal night, raising his league-leading total to 18.
The start was the first for Sailors, who said it was an experience she had been looking forward too.
"I prepared all day for it. When it came game time I was just ready to rock," she said. "It felt great."
Sailors said she has found pitching for the Cardinals has been easy.
"We have really great fans here, and they seem to like me no matter what I do," he said.
As for her performance Sailors said, "It went all right," although she added she wanted to go deeper into the game. " I like to finish what I start."
Sailors said her pitches were all working, adding the change up seemed to be the pitch garnering her the most strikes.
Green said his five steals in the doubleheader is just his way of contributing.
"It's just getting on base. That's the main thing," he said. "That gives me the opportunity to contribute more with my legs."
Green said anytime he is on base he wants to, and expects to, run.
"Every time I'm at first I know the games on I love playing the cat and mouse game," he said. "I don't think there's a catcher in this league that can throw me out."
Up next
The Cardinals are on the road for four starting tonight (Wednesday) in Saskatoon. They face the Yellowjackets again Thursday as well.
Yorkton then swings northwest to play in Edmonton Friday and Saturday.
Monday the Cardinals are back at Jubilee Park in Yorkton to host Moose Jaw, while Melville visits Tuesday.
