Right fielder Max Murphy’s tenth inning sacrifice fly was the difference Sunday afternoon as the Winnipeg Goldeyes (23-23) defeated the Gary SouthShore RailCats 4-3 at U.S. Steel Yard. Winnipeg swept the three-game series.
Box Score
After designated hitter Roby Enríquez moved automatic baserunner Ramón Bramasco to third, Murphy lifted a 3-2 pitch to centre field to give the Goldeyes the lead.
In the bottom of the inning, automatic runner Francisco Del Valle was thrown out at the plate by third baseman Bramasco for the second out, attempting to score on first baseman Jackson Valera’s fielder’s choice. Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (W, 3-2) then got third baseman Olivier Basabe swinging to end the ballgame.
Winnipeg took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth on first baseman Jake McMurray’s two-out double into the left field corner that scored second baseman Dayson Croes.
Gary SouthShore (18-28) tied the contest with one down in the bottom of the ninth when José Contreras came home on Gio Díaz’s single to right-centre field. Two batters later, Bramasco retired centre fielder Del Valle in spectacular fashion, diving into the seating area to snare a foul pop-up and send the game to extra innings.
For the third straight game, the Goldeyes scored in their first at-bat when Croes lined a two-out single to centre field to score Murphy and give the visitors a 1-0 edge.
The RailCats evened the score in their half of the first on a bases-loaded walk issued to Valera that forced Díaz to the plate and they took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Valera drove in Del Valle with a base hit.
Winnipeg pulled even in the fourth on a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of centre fielder Cadyn Schwabe that scored McMurray.
Colton Eastman started for the Goldeyes and worked the first three frames, giving up two runs on two hits and striking out four. He was relieved by Ryder Yakel, Ben Onyshko, and finally, Trogrlic-Iverson.
Tai Tiedemann was Gary SouthShore’s starter, and he pitched six innings and allowed two runs on six hits. Joan Valdez (L, 2-2) came in to work the tenth inning and was charged with the loss.
Winnipeg has Canada Day off before opening a three-game series against the Explorers in Sioux City, Iowa Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. CDT. Right-hander Zac Reininger (3-3, 4.86 ERA) will start for the Goldeyes while lefty Jaren Jackson (0-0, 2.53 ERA) is expected to take the mound for Sioux City.
The team returns home Friday, July 5 at 7:00 p.m., when the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks visit Blue Cross Park.