The Okotoks Dawgs have found a 1-2 combination to keep their opponents on the proverbial canvas.
If a Dawgs starting pitcher starts to get weary or put a few men on base, they know they can rely on Anthony Balderas to hold on to the lead in the eighth inning, followed by closer Christian Parsons to put things away.
“I go in the eighth when it is a close game and we have the lead and shut the door,” the right-handed Balderas said. “Then I hand if off to Christian.”
So far, they are a winning combination that is the antithesis of Simon-Garfunkel, Lennon-McCartney, Jagger-Richards — they don’t create any hits.
The Dawgs are 6-1 when Balderas and Parsons have delivered their 1-2 knockout punch.
Balderas came to Okotoks after seeing similar relief duties with the Lewis and Clark State Warriors, who went on to win the NAIA World Series.
“I pitched about 27 innings there and I had the same sort of deal I have here,” the right-handed Balderas said. “I would be a set-up guy and when our closer was down, I would be the closer that day.”
Balderas closed out one of the World Series victories for the Warriors.
He’s got outrageous stats with the Dawgs — his record is 4-0, with one save. He’s allowed just one run in 16 innings pitched for a Lilliputian 0.56 ERA as of Sunday.
But stats are like yesterday’s news as far as Balderas is concerned — who cares?
“I don’t like looking at that stuff, it gets in my head,” Balderas said. “Whatever I have to do to help the team out. If it’s four wins, that’s what I have to do.”
He’s all focus on the mound.
“The Lewis and Clark Warriors taught me to be a very mentally-tough pitcher — they taught me just to go after people,” he said.
Balderas calls his best pitch “a strike”. He has allowed just four walks in his 16 innings.
His best work with the ball may be handing it over to Parsons for the ninth inning.
The hard-throwing right-hander Parsons has seven saves in his 14 games, with a 0.94 ERA.
The affable Parsons spends the first part of the game studying hitters and sharing laughs with Balderas and other teammates.
But when he’s on the bump, he’s all business.
“Whenever it is time to come in, I’m ready — I like the pressure,” Parsons said. “When I warm-up, I just relax, stay loose, smiling having a good time.
“Once I get on the mound, I crack down and get serious... You come in with a ‘heck with you’ like attitude (to the batters}.”
He called one of his highlights getting Moose Jaw Miller Express’s Louis Boyd to pop-up with the tying run on third base in the bottom of the ninth in July.
“He’s from the University of Arizona, and just got back from the College World Series,” Parsons said. “He fouled off it seemed like 10 pitches in row and I had a full count — I had to keep busting the zone. That was the most difficult at bat I have seen this year.”
He saved the win for his relief buddy Balderas.
Assisting his teammates is what he loves best about being the Dawgs’ fireman.
“The starter goes six and seven innings and if no one can seal the deal, that start means nothing,” he said.
Parsons is a catcher’s dream. He has allowed just one walk in 19 innings to go with his 27 K’s. Parsons, who grew up on the same street as Dawg Michael Gretler in Bonney Lake, Wash, said his best pitch is the fastball.
Win in Fort Mac
The Dawgs got back in the win column on Monday night with an 11-2 victory over the Fort Mac Giants in Fort Mac.
Kellen Marruffo continued to hammer the ball going 4 for 5 to raise his average to .339.
Sammy Wong picked up the win to improve to 4-0.
The victory stopped a two-game losing streak. The Dawgs had dropped an 11-3 decision in a rain-shortened game to the Yorkton Cardinals Saturday at Seaman Stadium. The Dawgs also dropped a 7-5 decision to the Swift Current Indians in Swift on Friday.
Okotoks started their Saskatchewan trek on a high-note with 9-7 and 8-5 wins over the Weyburn Beavers on July 13 and 14, respectively.
The Dawgs sit in second place of the West Division with a 24-12 record. They continue to gain ground on the first-place Medicine Mavericks as they sit just two game back as of Monday.
The Dawgs’ fan favourite Wear Pink Day, the Canadian Breast Cancer fundraising game, on Sunday was rained out. The festivities will go Saturday when the Dawgs host the Edmonton Prospects at 7 p.m.
Okotoks’ homestand kicks off on Thursday when the Lethbridge Bulls come to town. It’s a big game as the Dawgs are just three games up on the Bulls.
After games in Brooks and Medicine Hat Sunday and Monday, respectively, the Dawgs will host the Giants on Tuesday.
The Dawgs playoff tickets are now available. For further information call 403-262-DAWG (3294) or go to dawgsbaseball.ca
