The Swift Current 57's needed just one inning to earn a win in Game 1 of their best-of-three Eastern Division semi-final series with the Weyburn Beavers, though it took a while for that productive frame to arrive.

Swift Current topped the Beavers 5-2 at Mitchell Field last night, but it was a tough go generating offence early.

57's starter Zach Patterson (pictured below) was dissecting the Beavers' lineup like it was a high school biology lab.

He struck out a cool dozen Weyburn batters, lasting six innings. However, due to a fielding error and a couple walks, the Beavers were able to put two runs on the board on just three hits.

"We did a good job, and it started with Zach on the mound today," said 57's head coach Joe Carnahan. "He came out, and it was the best we've seen him all year. Velocity was up, he was locating three pitches for strikes - he did an outstanding job for us six innings."

The 57's bats were equally stagnant over that stretch, though there were flashes of promise before a big sixth inning.

"We had some good at-bats early on and we just couldn't really string anything together, or kind of knock a guy in with two outs - two-out RBI," Carnahan said. "We kept at it, and our guys stayed level the entire time. You've got to give our guys credit for doing that. We came up with a big [sixth] inning."

In the bottom of sixth, the 57's piled all five of their runs on the board to leapfrog the Beavers for the win.

The first two batters reached base - Kiel Krumwiede hustled out an infield hit for a single, and Elvin Alamo did the same on a bunt single, one of his game-high three hits in the game.

An error by the Weyburn pitcher allowed Breyden Eckout to advance first... then all the way to third, with both Krumwiede and Alamo scoring on the play to tie things up.

Tanner Holen then scored Eckout on an RBI single to left field.

The final action of the inning was a high fly ball off the bat of John Sechen that cleared the fence in left field to make it 5-2.

From there, the 57's bullpen took over.

Diego Jordan tossed the seventh inning, striking out two Beavers batters. Garrett Alexander came on for the final two innings, allowing one hit, and striking out three for the save.

"Our pitchers did outstanding today," Carnahan said. "Weyburn has a very good lineup - they've got some guys that can run, they've got some guys that can put the ball out of the park, and our pitchers did a good job today."

Swift Current now has a chance to work a series sweep tonight, with Game 2 down in Weyburn.

Anything more big picture than simply securing a win isn't on the minds of Carnahan and the 57's just yet, though.

"Just same approach as we have all season. Tomorrow's game number 58, and that's how we're looking at it," he said.

Tyler Murphy gets the start for the 57's tonight, as Swift Current battles the Beavers at 7:05 from Tom Laing Park.