August 23, 2023

By Doug Greenwald

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, Man. – Winnipeg Goldeyes pitcher Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) won his sixth straight game in a 3-0 decision over the Sioux Falls Canaries on Wednesday night at Shaw Park.

He's the first Goldeye to win six straight decisions in the same season since Travis Seabrooke (Peterborough, Ont.) who was 6-0 out of the bullpen in 2021.

Coincidentally Bourassa followed Seabrooke into the game in the second inning as the designated second pitcher. Seabrooke was the "opener" and lasted one inning. Bourassa worked eight innings matching a season high for him. He gave up five hits and struck out eight – also a 2023 best for him. In the fifth and sixth, Bourassa worked around a runner at third with one out.

It was 0-0 going to the bottom of the fifth when shortstop Keith Torres with one out, lined a home run which just landed over the left field wall near the foul pole, making it 1-0 Goldeyes. Torres also made a great defensive play up the middle in the sixth which prevented Sioux Falls from tying it or possibly taking the lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Goldeyes took a 2-0 advantage when centre fielder Javeyan Williams belted a homer to right-centre field. The Goldeyes’ final run was on a softly hit jam shot to third by Dayson Croes in the seventh as that plated Torres.

The losing pitcher for Sioux Falls was Chris Hardin. He worked 5 2/3 innings giving up two runs (both earned), three hits, four walks, and struck out five.

Each team has been blanked in this series. It was the fourth shutout by Goldeyes pitchers this year and first at Shaw Park since July 17 of last year when they beat Gary SouthShore 4-0

The teams finish this series on Thursday night in Winnipeg at 6:30. The probable pitcher for the Canaries is right-hander Mitchell Walters (7-4), while the Goldeyes will counter with righty Luis Ramirez (6-7)

GOLDEYES SCALES

-With the win, Bourassa has won his last six outings. The last Goldeye to accomplish that was Mitchell Lambson in 2019 as part of a stretch where he won seven straight games.

-Croes’ string of reaching base safely ended at 17 games. He was 0-4 with an RBI, but still leads the American Association in hitting at .364 and hits with 124.

-Andy Armstrong who has started almost every game this year at shortstop had the night off.

-Second baseman Brynn Martinez was 1-3 with a single. He's reached base safely in 26-of-his-last-27 games.