Goldeyes fall a run short on opening night
Deon Stafford Jr. rounds third base after clubbing a three-run home run for the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Friday night. Photo: Dave Mahussier
May 13, 2022
By Steve Schuster
Winnipeg Goldeyes
WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (0-1) lost 10-9 to the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Shaw Park on Friday night.
Tied at 8-8 in the top of the eighth inning, Fargo-Moorhead first baseman Drew Ward lined a two-out, two-run home run to left-centre.
In the bottom of the ninth, Eric Rivera and Dakota Conners worked one-out walks. Two batters later, Max Murphy walked to load the bases. With David Washington at the plate, the Goldeyes pulled within 10-9 when RedHawks’ pitcher Joe Jones threw a wild pitch that plated Rivera. Fargo-Moorhead (1-0) elected to intentionally walk Washington before Jones struck out Logan Hill to end the game.
In the bottom of the first, Washington was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home the game’s first run. Rivera then scored on a wild pitch from RedHawks’ starter Kevin McGovern to make it 2-0.
The RedHawks cut the lead in half in the second when Nick Novak grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and no outs.
With runners on the corners and two outs in the bottom of the second, Ian Sagdal ripped a single down the right field line that scored Andrew Martinez. Deon Stafford Jr. made it 6-1 with a three-run home run to left-centre.
The RedHawks answered back in the third on a two-out, three-run home run to right-centre from John Silviano.
With the Goldeyes leading 6-4 in the top of the fourth, Fargo-Moorhead rallied for four runs on a bases loaded walk to Darian Sandford, a Peter Maris two-run double, and an RBI ground out from Leobaldo Pina that resulted in an error.
Winnipeg evened the score at 8-8 on a solo homer to left-centre from Washington in the bottom of the fifth, and a line drive solo shot to left with two outs by Murphy in the seventh.
Luke Lind (1-0) picked up the win in relief for the RedHawks. Peterborough, Ont., native Travis Seabrooke (0-1) took the loss in relief for the Goldeyes. Jones earned his first save of the season.
Josh Lucas started for the Goldeyes and took a no-decision, allowing eight earned runs on six hits in three-plus innings. Lucas walked five and struck out one.
McGovern also took a no-decision, allowing six earned runs on four hits in three innings. McGovern walked three and struck out six.
Jhon Vargas made his professional debut, and struck out four batters over two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh.
Jaylen Smith worked two scoreless relief innings with two strikeouts for the Goldeyes.
The game was played with 40 km per hour winds gusting throughout the evening.
Game two of the three-game, season-opening series is Saturday evening at 6:05 p.m. Luis Ramirez (0-0, 0.00) faces right-hander Francisco Jimenez (0-0, 0.00).