Miles Simington hit a two-run inside-the-park home run in the top of the 11th inning as the Winnipeg Goldeyes (38-30) defeated the Sioux Falls Canaries 3-1 at Sioux Falls Stadium Sunday afternoon.
Box Score
With two out, the Goldeyes’ left fielder hit a looper to shallow centre that Drew Mount dove to make a play on. However, the ball bounced past him and rolled all the way to the wall, allowing Simington to score standing up.
Joey Steele (W, 1-1) then retired the Canaries in order in the bottom of the inning to give Winnipeg a split of the four-game series and leave them just a half-game out of first place in the West Division standings.
The Goldeyes took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth when Sioux Falls (38-29) evened the score on right fielder Hunter Clanin’s single to left-centre field that drove in first baseman Josh Rehwaldt.
Winnipeg had gone ahead in the second inning after designated hitter Max Murphy scampered home as the result of a fielding error by Canaries second baseman Trevor Achenbach. Goldeyes second baseman Dayson Croes had doubled to right-centre field and Achenbach was unable to corral the throw from Mount.
What was an anticipated marquee pitching match-up definitely materialized. Winnipeg starter Joey Matulovich worked into the seventh inning and did not allow a run. He surrendered only three hits, struck out eight and walked just one. The 27-year-old has not given up a run over his last three starts and lowered his league-leading earned run average to 1.96.
Meanwhile, Ty Culbreth started for Sioux Falls and was seeking his tenth win of the season. He went eight innings and allowed one run on five hits.
Zach Veen (L, 0-3) pitched the final two frames for the Canaries and was responsible for two runs on one hit.
“Joey Matulovich was fantastic once again,” said Winnipeg manager Logan Watkins. “Offensively, it was not our best day, but we were also going up a very good pitcher who is having a great year as well. I think we knew going into the game that it was probably going to be close, and we made enough plays in extra innings to win. It was a good series overall.”
The Goldeyes return to Blue Cross Park Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CDT when they will open a seven-game homestand against the Kansas City Monarchs. Landen Bourassa (6-3, 3.12 ERA) will start for Winnipeg, with Jackson Goddard (1-4, 5.14) expected to take the mound for Kansas City.
Tuesday is “Ukrainian Night”. The national anthems will be performed by the Hoosli Ukrainian Male Chorus and there will be routines by the Troyanda Ukrainian Dance Ensemble on field.