The Western Canadian Baseball League playoff picture became a little clearer Monday following a busy eight-game holiday schedule.
The defending champion Regina Red Sox and Saskatoon Berries met in what will be a preview of their first-round playoff matchup, with Regina coming away with a 13-5 win at Cairns Field.
The Red Sox broke a 2-2 tie by scoring nine runs over the fourth and fifth innings to pick up their 24th win of the season.
Ian Montz had two hits and three RBIs, while veteran Brady Bye added three hits and a pair of RBIs for Regina, which has now won nine of 15 games since Braydon Cobb took over as head coach.
Regina improves to 24-and-29 on the season and will finish the regular season Tuesday against Moose Jaw before hosting Weyburn Wednesday night.
The Berries remain 37-and-17 and have two games left in the regular season, Tuesday in Weyburn and Wednesday at home against Moose Jaw.
The loss also officially sets up a best-of-three East Division semifinal between Saskatoon and Regina, with Game One scheduled for Friday at Cairns Field.
Meanwhile, the Moose Jaw Miller Express clinched top spot in the East Division with a 6-1 win over Weyburn in the opening game of their doubleheader.
Hunter Scott turned in seven strong innings, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out six.
The Beavers bounced back in the second game, sending 12 batters to the plate in an eight-run second inning on their way to an 11-3 win over Moose Jaw.
Robert Gurney hit a two-run homer, while Owen Mayencourt finished with three hits.
The win kept Weyburn's playoff hopes alive. The Beavers are a game-and-a-half behind Medicine Hat with three games remaining, including Tuesday's home game against Saskatoon. The Mavericks have two games left.
In Swift Current, the 57's picked up a 14-9 win over the Brooks Bombers.
Mace Wheeler had four hits, including two home runs, and drove in five runs. Cohen Jorgenson and Jake Steffes each added three hits.
The 57's improve to 19-and-35 and return home Tuesday to host the Medicine Hat Mavericks at Mitchell Field.
Andreas Gonzalez hit two home runs for Brooks in the loss.
Elsewhere, the Okotoks Dawgs clinched top spot in the West Division with a 7-3 win over the Sylvan Lake Gulls.
Sylvan Lake will now meet the Lethbridge Bulls in the opening round of the WCBL playoffs.
The Energy City Cactus Rats also swept a doubleheader with Fort McMurray, winning 8-1 and 10-3.
