The W-C-B-L’s match-up of teams from the two biggest cities in the province on the Saskatchewan Day holiday went Regina’s way.

The defending league champion Red Sox won a late-season preview of what will be a first-round post-season match-up when they out-slugged the Saskatoon Berries 13-5 before 2,242 fans Monday at Cairns Field. Combined with Moose Jaw winning the first game of a doubleheader at Weyburn and Medicine Hat losing in Lethbridge on Monday, it’ll be Saskatoon and Regina meeting in a best-of-three East Division semi-final series, beginning Friday at Cairns Field. Monday’s game was the conclusion of three games in two days between the Berries and Red Sox. The teams split a doubleheader Sunday in Regina. On Monday, the Red Sox scored nine runs total in the fourth and fifth innings to snap a 2-2 tie and record their 24th win of the season and ninth in 15 games since Braydon Cobb took over as head coach from the departed Rye Pothakos. In the fourth frame, a Saskatoon error and a bad hop single keyed Regina scoring four times. In the fifth stanza, centre fielder Ian Montz hit a line-drive three-run home run to right field to break the game open in the Red Sox’ favour as they scored five times. The loss leaves the Berries with a 37-17 record and games Tuesday in Weyburn and Wednesday at home against Moose Jaw. Following are Les Lazaruk’s post-game conversations with head coach Joe Carnahan and first baseman Gavin Panks (pictured)…..