The Winnipeg Goldeyes (12-13) erased a one-run, ninth inning deficit to defeat the Kane County Cougars 4-3 at Blue Cross Park Wednesday afternoon in front of a season-high crowd of 6,438.
Facing the American Association’s top closer in Kane County’s Ryan Nutoff (L, 1-1), designated hitter Gio Brusa hit a ground ball to second base that could have been a game-ending double play. Instead, it bounced under Josh Allen’s glove into right field. Centre fielder Miles Simington and catcher Rob Emery came in to score and the ballgame was over.
Kane County (15-10) went ahead 2-0 in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run to right field off the bat of catcher Simon Reid.
Winnipeg right fielder Max Murphy tied it an inning later, crushing a two-run home run - his sixth of the year - to centre field. The ball travelled 416 feet and left the bat at 107 miles per hour.
The Cougars re-took the lead in the top of the eighth when shortstop Harrison Smith led off the inning with a home run to left-centre field that gave the visitors a 3-2 advantage.
Justin Courtney (W, 1-0) pitched a spotless top of the ninth inning and was credited with the victory. Goldeyes starter Travis Seabrooke continued what has been a run of dominant starting pitching, allowing two runs on just four hits over seven innings. The left-hander struck out eight.
“It was a really well-pitched series for us aside from a few home runs,” said Winnipeg manager Logan Watkins. “Offensively we’ve been a bit unlucky, but we had a few breaks in the ninth inning today. Sometimes in a one hundred game schedule you’re going to have games where you feel as if you’ve had a win stolen from you. Other times you steal a game from your opponent and today was one of those days.”
Winnipeg now travels to Franklin, Wisconsin for a three-game series against the Milwaukee Milkmen that will start Friday at 6:35 p.m. CDT. The Goldeyes will send Colton Eastman (2-3, 5.26 ERA) to the mound while Milwaukee is expected to start fellow right-hander Victor Vargas (1-1, 2.38 ERA).