The defence and pitching kept them in the game, but the offence couldn't find a spark for the Moose Jaw Miller Express on Thursday night.

The Millers lost 4-1 to the Eastern Division-leading Weyburn Beavers at Tom Laing Park.

"We kept things close, defensively we were solid, pitching kept them off the bases as best we could, we just hit into a couple of double plays and just couldn't come up with any extra base hits when we had guys on," said Millers head coach Michael Hunt.

The Millers managed just four hits and two walks throughout the night, limiting their chances to strike offensively. Moose Jaw didn't have anyone reach base until the fourth inning, when they struck for a couple of hits.

Hunt said that the Millers just need something to get them going on offence, "I'd like to see offence at anytime right now," he said.

After going scoreless through the first three innings, the Beavers were able to get on the board in the fourth, added another run in each of the fifth and sixth innings and then they sealed things up with another run in the eighth.

Moose Jaw's breakthrough came in the seventh, trailing 3-0, second baseman Blake Gallagher led off with a single and then came in to score on a sac-fly from outfielder Alex Hendra-Brown.

On the mound, Markus Gregson took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out two and walked one.

"He did what we expected him to do, he threw down in the zone today, he had a good start, he's had a couple of not so great ones in a row, so it was good for his confidence to get in there and throw five good," said Hunt.

Michael Mommersteeg finished off the game, allowing two runs on five hits over three innings. He struck out four and walked one.

The Millers now sit at 17-15 on the year. They will get another shot at the Beavers on Friday night as the two sides meet at Ross Wells Park.

"We've only played them three times and they've all been close games until late, so we've got to find a way to get on top early," said Hunt.

The Millers and Beavers hit the field at 7 p.m.