The Nanaimo Pirates swung for the fences and it got them back in the game, but that was all.
The Hub City Paving Pirates won two and then lost two this past weekend at Serauxmen Stadium in B.C. Premier Baseball League action. The Pirates swept the Coquitlam Reds by scores of 1-0 and 5-1 on Saturday, but then fell to the North Shore Twins the next day, 5-4 and 11-7.
The weekend finale was a game of ups and downs for the home team. The Pirates fell behind 5-0 after three innings but didn’t quit, loading the bases. Zach Diewert came to the plate with two outs and hit a grand slam over the left-field fence, and Nanaimo added one more run that inning, too, to tie it at 5-5 before they got outscored the rest of the way.
“I did like our compete level,” said Doug Rogers, Pirates manager. “We didn’t give up. Typical Nanaimo baseball – we seem to always come back in situations.”
That’s emerging as a trait in the 2014 Pirates, just as it has been in recent years.
“It’s always been like that, really,” said Diewert. “This team never gives up. We hate losing. That’s one thing I love most about this team.”
In the earlier game that day, the Pirates had a 3-1 lead but hurt themselves with some errors.
“If we come out and really harness that game and play defensive baseball, we win that game, we win the weekend,” said Rogers.
The manager said players need to learn how to give themselves advantages in games through smart baseball.
“The coaches have a lot of work to do in teaching them the game,” he said. “Not just how to swing a bat and how to throw a baseball. There’s a lot more to the game than that.”
In Saturday’s shutout win over the Reds, T.J. Mah was the winning pitcher after 2 2/3 innings of shutout relief. Robert Busch went 5 1/3. Cole Warken was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Aaron Page was 2-for-3.
The second win saw Connor Jones earn the ‘W,’ allowing one hit over 5 1/3. Warken was 3-for-3, Diewert was 2-for-4 with two runs and two stolen bases and Dakota St. Laurent had two RBIs.
In the one-run loss to the Twins, Garrett Goodall threw a complete game, allowing two earned runs. Page had two hits.
The barnburner finale saw Diewert finish with two hits and five RBIs. Shawn Arabsky and Tom Negrin were both 2-for-4.
GAME ON … The Pirates visit the Parksville Royals on Wednesday (April 30) in a 6 p.m. start at Springwood Park, then play road doubleheaders against the Langley Blaze on Saturday (May 3) and the Victoria Eagles on Sunday.
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