The Winnipeg Goldeyes (32-28) jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and hung on to defeat the Sioux City Explorers 6-5 at Lewis & Clark Park Wednesday evening.
Box Score
The game ended in bizarre fashion, with the tying run stranded 90 feet from the plate after Explorers’ first baseman John Nogowski reached on an error charged to Goldeyes right fielder Max Murphy. Nogowski took a few too many steps toward second base and Murphy’s throw to Jake McMurray at first base beat him back to the bag for the final out. It was Murphy’s fifth outfield assist of the season.
Winnipeg got on the board in top of the first when third baseman Ramón Bramasco scored on a double play ball off Murphy’s bat. They would add a pair of runs before the side was retired. First, left fielder Miles Simington came home on a wild pitch, then second baseman Dayson Croes drove in catcher Rob Emery with a single to left field.
The Goldeyes extended their lead to four the following frame as shortstop Andy Armstrong scored on a single to right by designated hitter Roby Enríquez.
Sioux City (26-32) cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth when Nogowski hit a two-run home run down the left field line to make the score 4-2.
Emery gave Winnipeg a three-run cushion in the fifth, bringing Murphy in with a single to centre field, but the Explorers pulled to within one in the seventh on run scoring singles to right field by left fielder Zac Vooletich and catcher Will Busch.
The Goldeyes scored what turned out to be a huge insurance run in the eighth thanks to a single to centre by Croes that brought Simington in.
Again, Sioux City responded in the bottom of the inning, with right fielder Scott Ota scoring on an error to make it 6-5 Winnipeg.
Goldeyes starter Travis Seabrooke (W, 5-1) pitched six innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked a pair. Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (S, 5) gave up one hit in the ninth but was able to keep the Explorers from tying the contest.
Jaren Jackson (L, 1-2) surrendered six runs – four earned – on 12 hits in seven innings of work for Sioux City, fanning four batters.
Emery had four hits on the evening, while Enríquez had three.
“Give Sioux City some credit, they came back in the late innings and really fought,” said Winnipeg manager Logan Watkins. “They grinded out some at-bats and got some big hits and made it interesting. We feel like we caught a break on the last play of the game, but they also caught a break that Max had an uncharacteristic drop on a ball he almost always catches. Fortunately, he made a great throw to get Nogowski at first and put an end to the game.”
The series concludes Thursday at 7:05 p.m. CDT. Right-hander Landen Bourassa (5-3, 3.17 ERA) will take the mound for the Goldeyes, with southpaw Austin Drury (2-4, 7.26 ERA) expected to start for the Explorers.
The team returns home Friday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m. when the Milwaukee Milkmen come to Blue Cross Park for Throwback Night. The first 1,000 fans through the gate will receive a vintage pennant, the Goldeyes will wear special retro jerseys, and there will be postgame fireworks!