Bourassa solid in Goldeyes debut
Prairie Baseball Academy and San Francisco Dons alum Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) started and allowed just one run in four innings in the second game of a doubleheader for the Winnipeg Goldeyes. Photo: University of San Francisco Athletics
July 21, 2021
By Steve Schuster
Winnipeg Goldeyes
JACKSON, TN – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (28-29) won both games of a doubleheader from the Houston Apollos at The Ballpark at Jackson on Wednesday night, taking the opener 5-4 and winning the nightcap 8-4.
The Goldeyes overcame a 4-0 deficit to win game one. Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Logan Hill led off with a single up the middle, stole second base, and took third on a ground out to second from Wes Darvill (Langley, B.C.). After an Apollos’ pitching change, Kevin Lachance beat out an infield single that scored Hill. Lachance took second on a throwing error, and scored when Austin Rei ripped a double to left-centre. Two batters later, Tyler Hill lined a two-out single to left that scored Rei to pull Winnipeg within 4-3.
Raul Navarro drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the sixth, stole second, and took third on a Logan Hill groundout. Darvill then beat out an infield single that scored Navarro to tie the game.
In the bottom of the seventh, Rei led off with a single to centre and was sacrificed to second by Jay Gonzalez. After Dakota Conners pinch ran for Rei, Tyler Hill walked. Max Murphy then won the game with a line drive single to centre on a 1-2 count.
Houston (7-49) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out, RBI single from Alvaro Gonzalez. Brian Dansereau’s sacrifice fly in the top of the second made it 2-0, and the Apollos stretched the lead to 4-0 in the fourth on a Dansereau RBI single and a Blake Berry sacrifice fly.
Jose Jose (1-1), who turned 31 on Wednesday, picked up the win in relief. Keisy Portorreal (0-2) took the loss in relief for Houston.
Jorge Gonzalez started game one for the Goldeyes and took a no-decision, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in three and two-thirds innings. Gonzalez walked two and struck out one.
Jake Voss started for the Apollos and also took a no-decision, allowing one earned run on three hits in four and one-third innings. Voss walked one and struck out none.
Game 2
In game two, the Apollos took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a two-out, RBI single from Dansereau.
Winnipeg then rallied for six runs in the bottom of the third. Lachance and Conners opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Two batters later, Jay Gonzalez tied the game with a line drive single to centre. Tyler Hill followed with a line drive single to right that scored Conners with the go-ahead run. After Murphy walked to load the bases, Kyle Martin crushed a grand slam home run to right-centre. It was the Goldeyes’ first grand slam since August 21st, 2019.
Murphy stretched the lead to 8-1 in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run home run down the left field line.
Houston scored three times in the top of the seventh on a Berry RBI double and an Aaron Stubblefield two-run single to provide the game’s final margin.
Nate Antone (1-1) picked up the win in relief. Apollos’ starter Tucker Smith (1-4) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on six hits in four innings. Smith walked one and struck out four.
Goldeyes’ starter Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) took a no-decision in his professional debut, allowing one earned run on four hits in four innings. Bourassa walked two and struck out six. Bourassa faced 18 batters, and allowed only one batted ball in the air.
Bud Norris struck out the side during a scoreless top of the sixth.
The series concludes Thursday evening at 6:35 p.m. Eduard Reyes (5-5, 6.36) faces right-hander Matt Cronin (1-4, 6.35).
The Goldeyes will continue to monitor the reopening of the Canada/US border and assess a potential return to Shaw Park in 2021.