The Winnipeg Goldeyes (19-15) defeated the Sioux City Explorers 8-0 at Blue Cross Park Sunday afternoon to sweep the three-game series between the two clubs.
Box Score
The Goldeyes have won 15 of their last 23 contests and have pulled to within 2.5 games of first place Fargo-Moorhead in the American Association’s West Division.
Winnipeg opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning when left fielder Keshawn Lynch belted a double to centre field that drove in catcher Rob Emery.
The Goldeyes increased their lead to 4-0 in the third on Emery’s two-out, three-run home run to centre field and added another in the fourth inning when Lynch led off with a round-tripper to left.
Emery scored on a fielding error in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-0 before shortstop Andy Armstrong hit a two-run home run to left field in the sixth to round out the scoring.
Marshall Kasowski (W, 1-0) made his Goldeyes debut a successful one, working five innings and allowing just four hits while striking out seven. Travis Seabrooke (S, 1) pitched the final four frames, surrendering three hits and fanning four.
John Sheaks (L, 1-4) gave up eight runs – six earned – on eight hits in six innings of work.
Winnipeg right fielder Max Murphy saw his consecutive game hit streak come to an end at 21 games – the longest in the league this season.
Kasowski was added to the active roster prior to game time, while infielder Edwin Arroyo was moved from the Injured List to the Inactive List, retroactive to May 9.
The Goldeyes are off Monday before returning to action at Blue Cross Park Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CDT against the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Landen Bourassa (2-2, 3.07 ERA) will start for Winnipeg, while the RailCats will send fellow right-hander Peyton Long (0-3, 5.63 ERA) to the mound.