The Winnipeg Goldeyes (47-35) scored six times in the seventh inning to snap a 6-6 tie and went on to defeat the Sioux Falls Canaries 13-6 at Blue Cross Park Tuesday evening. The Goldeyes now sit alone atop the West Division standings, one game better than the Canaries. The last time Winnipeg was in sole possession of first place this late in the season was August 23, 2020.
Box Score
In the pivotal bottom of the seventh, shortstop Andy Armstrong put the Goldeyes ahead by one with a double to left field that drove in centre fielder Nick Anderson. That was followed by a two-run single to right by left fielder Miles Simington that brought home first baseman Jake McMurray and Armstrong. Right fielder Roby Enríquez came in on catcher Rob Emery’s sacrifice fly to right field before designated hitter Max Murphy belted a two-run home run onto Waterfront Drive in left to make the score 12-6.
Winnipeg added a run in the eighth inning when McMurray scored on Armstrong’s base-hit to left field.
The Goldeyes scored first, with second baseman Dayson Croes hitting a single up the middle with two out in the bottom of the first that brought third baseman Ramón Bramasco to the plate.
Sioux Falls (46-36) cut the lead in half in the second. Third baseman Liam Spence scored on right fielder Hunter Clanin’s two-out single to left.
The Canaries added four more in the top of the third inning to take a 5-2 lead. Second baseman Trevor Achenbach evened the score with a single to left field that drove in shortstop Jordan Barth. Spence hit an infield single to knock in first baseman Mike Hart, then Clanin added a two-run single with two out that saw designated hitter Jabari Henry and Achenbach come in.
Winnipeg responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning move in front 6-5. Emery scored on Murphy’s double to left then Murphy came home when McMurray grounded into a double play to cut the deficit to one. Armstrong tied the contest with an infield single that brought Croes home, then scored on a throwing error to give the Goldeyes the lead.
Sioux Falls tied it at 6-6 in the top of the fourth when Barth led off the inning with a home run to left field.
Tasker Strobel (W, 3-2), the third Winnipeg pitcher of the evening, threw a spotless top of he seventh and benefited from his team’s outburst in the bottom of the frame.
Matt Dunaway (L, 1-2) went four innings in relief of starter Ryan Zimmerman. He allowed two earned runs on six hits.
Five Goldeyes had multi-hit games, including Armstrong, who was four-for-four with three runs batted in. Murphy had three hits and drove in three.
“I feel as if the narrative has flipped over the last week compared to what it has been all season,” said Winnipeg skipper Logan Watkins. “Our starting pitching has carried us and if we found away to score four or five runs, we’d have a good chance to win. Lately the starters haven’t been nearly as sharp but it’s nice to see the offence do really great job of coming through in big moments.”
The series continues Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. CDT with another marquee pitching matchup between Goldeyes right-hander Joey Matulovich (9-3, 2.44 ERA) and Sioux Falls lefty Ty Culbreth (10-1, 2.99 ERA).
The remainder of the homestand includes “Manitoba Social Night”, Friday, August 16 when the Sioux City Explorers visit Winnipeg. The first thousand fans in attendance will receive a limited-edition Fred Penner Bobblehead and there will be a spectacular post-game fireworks show.
The following evening, Saturday, August 17 is “Bark in the Park”, a special dog-friendly game for which the Goldeyes will wear custom jerseys adorned with photos of over 150 local pooches.