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The Winnipeg Goldeyes won their 2024 Home Opener Tuesday evening, defeating the Chicago Dogs 6-1 at Blue Cross Park.
Winnipeg (4-7) took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when right fielder Max Murphy doubled to left-centre field, driving in designated hitter Adam Hall and third baseman Dayson Croes.
A fourth inning solo home run to left field off the bat of centre-fielder Johnni Turbo pulled the Dogs (5-5) within one.
The Goldeyes used a long ball of their own to get that run back in the bottom of the fifth as Hall led off with a 364-foot shot to right field that made the score Winnipeg 3 Chicago 1.
Centre fielder Miles Simington drew a bases-loaded free pass in the seventh inning that forced in shortstop Andy Armstrong to make it 4-1.
The Goldeyes added two more runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach. First left fielder Ryan Holgate singled to right field bringing second baseman Jake McMurray in to score. Then pinch runner Keshawn Lynch came home on a squeeze bunt by Armstrong giving Winnipeg a five-run advantage.
Colton Eastman (W, 2-1) picked up his second victory in as many starts, surrendering one run on three hits in 6.2 innings. Nick Troglrlic-Iverson (S, 2) worked the final seven outs and allowed a pair of doubles.
Jason Bilous (L, 1-1) gave up three runs – all earned – on six hits over six innings of work. He struck out seven.
"I know a lot of the fans were excited for the home opener and I'm glad we could give them a win," Goldeyes manager Logan Watkins commented following the game. "You have to give a lot of credit to Colton Eastman who threw great, and Nick Trogrlic-Iverson brought us home. Offensively we kept putting pressure on them every inning. It felt like some out there, but at the end of the day, a 6-1 win is a good first game here at home."
The three-game series continues Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. CDT when righty Zac Reininger (0-2, 6.00 ERA) starts for Winnipeg against Chicago’s Kenny Serwa (0-0, 3.37 ERA). Trevor Curl will have the pregame show on CJNU 93.7 FM and cjnu.ca at 6:00. The game will also be streamed free of charge at AABaseball.TV.