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The Winnipeg Goldeyes (14-14) defeated the Milwaukee Milkmen 8-1 at Franklin Field Sunday afternoon. With the win, the Goldeyes took their fifth series out of the past six and evened their record at .500 for the first time this season.
Joey Matulovich (W, 4-0) went the distance for Winnipeg and struck out 14 – the most of any pitcher in the American Association this season. The right-hander allowed one run on just six hits. He lowered his earned run average to a stingy 2.03.
The game was scoreless through five innings, with the Goldeyes taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth on centre fielder Miles Simington’s two-out solo home run to right field, his third of the campaign. Simington finished a double short of the cycle.
Winnipeg added a run in the eighth when right fielder Max Murphy smacked a home run to right. It was his seventh round-tripper of the season, and it extended his hitting streak to 15 consecutive games, also a season-high in the league.
The Goldeyes added some insurance runs and more in the top of the ninth, scoring six times to take an 8-0 lead. Ramón Bramasco, Rob Emery, and Simington each had run-scoring singles, Murphy drove in one with a ground-rule double, Jake McMurray brought a run home with a sacrifice fly, and Keshawn Lynch crossed the plate as the result of a rare obstruction call.
Matulovich’s shutout bid was spoiled with two-out in the ninth on left fielder Armani Smith’s single to left field that scored catcher Oscar Santos.
Starter Sebastián Rodríguez (L, 1-1) worked 6.2 innings for the Milkmen (15-12). He surrendered one run on only four hits and struck out five.
The Goldeyes now make an approximately two-hour drive to Geneva, Illinois where they will begin a three-game series with the Kane County Cougars Monday at 6:30 p.m. CDT. Winnipeg will send Landen Bourassa (1-2, 3.72 ERA) to the hill while Kane County is expected to start fellow righty Nick Belzer (3-0, 2.00 ERA) in what will be a rematch of last Tuesday’s contest that was won 1-0 by the Cougars.
Winnipeg returns home to Blue Cross Park Friday, June 14 when they will host the Sioux City Explorers at 7:00 p.m.