The Winnipeg Goldeyes (44-34) completed a three-game sweep of the Lincoln Saltdogs with a 6-5 victory at Haymarket Park Thursday evening. The Goldeyes kept pace with Sioux Falls and remain just a half-game behind the Canaries in the West Division standings.
Box Score
After a scoreless opening frame, Winnipeg went ahead 4-0 in the top of the second inning. Second baseman Edwin Arroyo smacked a three-run home run down the right field line before shortstop Ramón Bramasco singled up the middle to score first baseman Jake McMurray.
Lincoln (29-49) got one of those runs back in the bottom of the third when designated hitter Alex Baeza hit a single to right-centre field that just eluded Arroyo. Right fielder Zane Zurbrugg came home on the play, making the score 4-1 in favour of the Goldeyes.
Catcher Kevin García belted a home run just inside the right field foul pole to lead off the fourth inning as Winnipeg reestablished their four-run advantage.
The Saltdogs once again responded in their half of the inning and cut the Goldeyes’ lead to 5-2 with a sacrifice fly to centre field by first baseman Dalton Reeves that scored catcher Luke Roskam.
Winnipeg scored on a sacrifice fly of their own in the fifth as McMurray brought in centre fielder Nick Anderson.
Reeves hit a three-run home run to right-centre field with two-out in the bottom of the sixth inning to bring Lincoln within one but that is as close as they would come to tying the contest.
Joey Matulovich (W, 9-3) went six innings and gave up five runs on seven hits. He struck out nine, increasing his league-best total in that department to 118 on the season. Ben Onyshko worked an inning and two-thirds, and Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (S, 6) retired all four batters he faced to secure the win.
Karan Patel (L, 4-5) went four innings for the Saltdogs and also allowed five runs on seven hits while fanning three.
The Goldeyes now head to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin where they will take on the Lake Country DockHounds in a three-game weekend series beginning Friday at 6:35 p.m. CDT. Winnipeg will send Landen Bourassa (6-4, 3.59 ERA) to the mound, while fellow right-hander Luke Hansel (2-5, 5.40 ERA) is expected to start for Lake Country.
The Goldeyes return home to Blue Cross Park Tuesday, August 13 at 6:30 p.m. to open a three-game series against the Sioux Falls Canaries.
The homestand continues Friday, August 16 when the Sioux City Explorers visit Winnipeg on “Manitoba Social Night”. The first thousand fans in attendance will receive a limited-edition Fred Penner Bobblehead and there will be a spectacular post-game fireworks show.
The following evening, Saturday, August 16 is “Bark in the Park”, a special dog-friendly game for which the Goldeyes will wear custom jerseys adorned with photos of over 150 local pooches.