Daniel Crooks, Dalton Ross and Brodie Stairs combined for 11 strikeouts, and the offence put up six runs over two innings as the Weyburn Beavers extended their winning streak to three games Wednesday night. They beat the Regina Red Sox 7-3 at Tom Laing Park as the Beavers played their first game in the friendly confines of their home park for the season.

Crooks set the tone early, striking out the first two batters he faced on the night. The senior from Midland, Texas was making his debut for the Beavers. He went 5 ⅔ innings, allowing three runs while striking out six, and walking one batter.

“It was fun,” Crooks said after the game. “A lot of fans came out, it was a good environment, and brought a lot of energy.”

He did find himself in one game in the second inning. With bases loaded, he struck out the remaining two batters to escape with just one run allowed in the inning.

Regina held on to the one-run lead until the fourth inning, when the Beavers would even things up. Luke Lubinieki, who is originally from Regina, and spent last season with the Red Sox, hit a single to left field, which brought home Eric Morales. The tie didn’t survive the top of the fifth, though.

A triple from David Modler allowed the Red Sox to cash in a run. It was followed up with a sacrifice fly two batters later, by Colon Onstott, which brought home Modler and giving Regina a 3-1 lead. The inning also had a potentially scary moment turned into a great play by Crooks. A line drive back to the pitcher was caught by the starter, as he got the glove out in time while keeping his body out of the way, to make the catch.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Beavers had their bats come alive. It started with a double by Cam Williams, which brought in Keaton Greenwalt, who had reached base after being hit by a pitch. Williams was then cashed in with a single to left by Cory Ewald. The Beavers then loaded the bases, ending the night for Regina starting pitcher Kyle Wilson. He was replaced by Edgar Cuevas. Lubinieki was then walked, bringing in Ewald, and making it a 4-3 game.

In the bottom of the sixth, control issues for Cuevas allowed the Beavers to get more runs on the board. With bases loaded, Cuevas threw a wild pitch which brought home Greenwalt. Ewald then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, cashing in Williams. Eric Morales then finished clearing out the bases with a double to right, allowing Corey Harrell to cross the plate.

The bullpen for the Beavers then took over. Dalton Ross, a sidearm pitcher from Statesboro, Georgia, had replaced Crooks for the final out of the sixth inning. He then threw a nearly flawless seventh and eighth inning, allowing just two hits while striking out four. Brodie Stairs came out to finish off the game in the ninth inning, striking out one.

The Beavers will now head up to Regina tonight, to take on the Red Sox in the back half of the home-and-home. The game at Currie Field starts at 7:05 p.m.