Royals pitcher Nick "Top Corns" Dutchak (right) cracks a smile after a tidy three-up-three-down inning. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Royals Baseball

Royals’ get great pitching and hot bats in win over Blue Jays

Jun 1, 2022 | 9:37 PM

The Prince Albert Royals’ got back to having fun out on the diamond, and nobody had more fun than starting pitcher Nick Dutchak.

During his six strong innings on the mount, Dutchak played air guitar and headbanged to music during breaks in play, cracked jokes with his teammates, and repeatedly through sweeping curveballs to baffle the Saskatoon Blue Jays’ in an 8-6 Royals’ win Wednesday at Andy Zwack Field. The Royals are now 4-8 on the year in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League U18 AA standings, in a tie for third.

Dutchak struck out eight batters while giving up just six hits and three runs in six innings pitched. Dutchak left the mound with an 8-3 advantage after the sixth inning.

Lukas Robin came in relief and needed a little time to get into the game as the Blue Jays got within two runs. But Robin eventually warmed up and retired three consecutive batters to close out the game 8-6. That’s the Royals’ fourth win of the season through 12 games so far.

At the plate, Robin had one of the biggest plays in the game as he crushed a fastball to the fence in right-centre field and dove headfirst into home plate for a two-run, inside-the-park home run. That gave the Royals a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning.

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Dawson Patterson hit a single in the bottom of the fourth, driving in two runs to make it a 7-3 game. Patterson was 3-3 at the dish as well.

The Royals are on the road this weekend, taking on the Estevan Brewers on Saturday and the Parkland Expos on Sunday. They’ll play a doubleheader on June 10 against the Saskatoon Athletics, before returning home on June 11 to play the Regina Pacers.

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jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW