The Nanaimo Pirates have found a lot of ways to win already this season.
The Hub City Paving Pirates baseball team comes back to town in first place after winning three out of four games on a road swing to the mainland on the weekend.
Nanaimo swept the Vancouver Cannons on Saturday by scores of 5-3 and 6-4, then beat the Langley Blaze 4-1 on Sunday before dropping the weekend finale to the Blaze, 3-0.
The Pirates were most excited about the win over the perennial powerhouse Blaze. Stellar pitching and some big hits added up to a convincing win in the opener.
“We basically beat them at their own game,” said Doug Rogers, Pirates manager.
Langley scored the first run of the ball game but Nanaimo surged ahead in the second inning when slugger Cody Andreychuk crushed a fastball over the left-field fence for a two-run home run.
“It was just hammered out of the ballpark,” Rogers said. “It was exactly what we needed because we came out kind of nervous and that sort of loosened us up.”
Starting pitcher Kenton Schroter threw a complete-game victory, allowing five hits and no earned runs.
Buoyed by the big win, the Pirates hoped to make a statement with a weekend sweep but were stymied by a hot Blaze pitcher in the second game and managed just three hits in defeat. Nick Smiley was tagged with the loss.
The previous day’s doubleheader in New Westminster was challenging in that the Pirates couldn’t help but look ahead to the Langley games. Even still, they managed to repel comeback attempts by the Cannons.
“At the end of the day, that’s what we’re looking to do, is win,” said Rogers. “If we win pretty, great; if we win ugly, hey, that’s OK, too.”
Mike Williams was the winning pitcher in the first game. Smiley went 2-for-3 at the plate, Brady Rogers reached base three times and Al Rogers had two walks, two runs batted in, two stolen bases and two runs scored.
Saturday’s late game saw Justin Clarkson pick up the win out of the bullpen. Starter Luke Skingle threw four innings, allowing just one hit and no runs. Crosby Rushton and Brady Rogers had two RBI apiece and Liam Goodall and Joey Sabo had two hits each.
GAME ON … Next action for the Pirates is Saturday (April 23) on the road against the Abbotsford Cardinals. Then come the Pirates’ home opener Sunday when the Victoria Eagles visit Serauxmen Stadium for games at noon and 2:30 p.m.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
