The Winnipeg Goldeyes (36-28) put a bow on their schedule before the All-Star break Sunday afternoon, defeating the Milwaukee Milkmen 8-0 at Blue Cross Park for the series sweep.
Box Score
It was Winnipeg’s sixth win in a row, which is the longest streak in the league this season. As usual, the Goldeyes took down the Milkmen (31-33) in the only way they seem to know how, with spectacular pitching and scoring runs when they need them most.
Winnipeg wasted no time jumping ahead, as they took a 1-0 lead on a Miles Simington single to right field that scored Roby Enríquez from second base.
They added to that lead in the fourth inning after Nick Anderson came across on a throwing error by the catcher that sailed into right field to make it 2-0.
Nothing crossed the plate in the middle innings, but for the second game in a row the Goldeyes added some insurance late in the game.
Winnipeg would make it 4-0 in the seventh inning thanks to a two-run blast from Max Murphy that carried into the netting beyond the left field wall.
Later in the inning, Dayson Croes came home on a Jake McMurray sacrifice fly to make it 5-0. McMurray had a productive series at the plate, compiling eight hits and four RBI.
They weren’t done there, as they went on to add three more in the eighth inning. Simington kicked things off with a two-run double down the left field line to score Enríquez and Keshawn Lynch to make it 7-0.
Simington ended up coming around to score to make it 8-0 on a broken play that resulted in an error on the Milkmen third baseman after trying to throw out Murphy at first.
That score held as the Goldeyes went on to complete the sweep and record their American Association-leading eighth team shutout of the year.
Joey Matulovich (W, 8-2) continued to put together a historically good season, as he threw seven scoreless innings while racking up nine strikeouts. It was his second consecutive start of seven innings without allowing a run, stretching his personal shutout streak to 16 innings.
Sunday was Matulovich’s 10th quality start of the season, something he’s clearly become quite accustomed to doing in his 13 starts this season.
“He is just so consistently great for us,” said Goldeyes’ skipper Logan Watkins. “He never beats himself.”
Matulovich, who is set to pitch in the American Association All-Star Game, has earned every ounce of praise he has received over the course of the year.
“It’s very, very well deserved,” said Watkins about Matulovich and the other five Goldeyes slated to play in the game. “They’ll get the chance to go enjoy the experience and hopefully do well in the game.”
On the other side of the pitching matchup, Milkmen starter Ryley Widell (L, 4-1) was tagged with loss after allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits while striking out five.
Most of the damage was done against the Milwaukee relievers Davis Welch and Ben Gerl, who allowed six runs on seven hits.
Nick Trogrlic-Iverson, who is also headed to the All-Star game, finished things off by pitching the final two innings, only allowing two hits.
Matulovich, Trogrlic-Iverson, Croes, Emery, Simington, and Travis Seabrooke will all head south to Kansas City to represent the Goldeyes in the All-Star Game, which takes place on Tuesday, July 23 at Legends Field.
The Goldeyes are back in action on Thursday, July 25 at 6:35 p.m. as they visit the Sioux Falls Canaries for a massive series between teams jockeying for first place in the West Division.