Schuster: Hill, Vargas lead Goldeyes to win in spring game

The Winnipeg Goldeyes beat Black Sox Professional Baseball 6-4 in an exhibition game at Shaw Park on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Danielle Langlois

May 8, 2022

By Steve Schuster

Winnipeg Goldeyes

The Winnipeg Goldeyes beat Black Sox Professional Baseball 6-4 in an exhibition game at Shaw Park on Sunday afternoon.

The teams agreed to play eight innings.

The Goldeyes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Raul Navarro drew a one-out walk, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Ian Sagdal’s single to left.

Winnipeg added four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Eric Rivera singled leading off and took second when Navarro walked. Two batters later, Max Murphy doubled to centre field to score Rivera. After David Washington walked to load the bases, Deon Stafford Jr. walked to force home Navarro. Logan Hill ripped a two-run single to centre that made it 5-0.

The Black Sox cut the lead to 5-3 in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs on a pair of wild pitches and a third on a an Alex Golembiewski ground out.

The Goldeyes re-extended the lead in the bottom of the seventh on back-to-back doubles from Stafford and Hill.

Slayton Vaughan hit a solo home run with two outs in the top of the eighth before Tasker Strobel retired Joe Impeduglia on a ground ball to shortstop to end the game.

Jhon Vargas picked up the win in relief, pitching three scoreless innings with five strikeouts.

Josh Lucas started for the Goldeyes and took a no-decision, pitching three scoreless frames. Lucas walked one and struck out four.

Chance Benton started for the Black Sox and took the loss, allowing five earned runs on seven hits in five innings. Benton walked eight and struck out one.

GOLDEYES ADD SMITH

The Winnipeg Goldeyes signed rookie right-handed pitcher Brendan Smith on Saturday.

Smith was 1-0 with a 5.48 ERA in 18 relief appearances as a true rookie for the Chicago Dogs in 2021, striking out 20 batters in 23 innings. The sidearm right-hander finished his college career at Iona College (New Rochelle, N.Y.) in 2021, posting a 2.13 ERA in 12 2/3 innings.

Smith made his spring training debut for the Goldeyes during the seventh inning of Sunday’s game.

The Goldeyes training camp roster currently stands at 25 active players.

The Goldeyes hold a training camp practice on Monday and return to exhibition play on Tuesday when they host the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Shaw Park.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes open the 2022 season on Friday versus the RedHawks at Shaw Park.