May 20, 2021

By Steve Schuster

Winnipeg Goldeyes

SIOUX FALLS, SD – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (1-1) lost 5-3 to the Sioux Falls Canaries at Sioux Falls Stadium on Wednesday night.

Box Score

Tied at 3-3 and with two outs and no one on base in the bottom of the eighth, Mitch Glasser hit a ground-rule double into the left field corner and took third when Angelo Altavilla reached on an infield single. Nick Gotta followed with a two-run triple to centre field that put the Canaries ahead.

Former Major League left-hander Caleb Frare retired the Goldeyes in order in the top of the ninth to earn the save.

Winnipeg had just tied the game in the top of the eighth against Canaries’ reliever Robbie Gordon. Raul Navarro lined a single off the glove of Gotta at second base and advanced to second when Logan Hill beat out an infield single. After Max Murphy walked to load the bases, Kevin Lachance beat out a potential double play on a groundball to shortstop that allowed Navarro to score from third.

Gordon (1-0) picked up the win in relief for the Canaries (1-1), while John Gorman (0-1) took the loss for Winnipeg.

The Goldeyes took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Jay Gonzalez led off the game with a single and stole second base. Tyler Hill ripped a two-run home run down the left field line.

Sioux Falls tied the game in the bottom of the first on a Jabari Henry RBI single and a two-out, bases loaded walk to Michael Hart.

Logan Landon’s two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the fourth gave the Canaries a 3-2 lead.

Goldeyes’ starting pitcher Christian James took a no-decision, allowing three earned runs on two hits in four innings. James walked six and struck out three.

Canaries’ starter Carlos Pimentel also took a no-decision, allowing two earned runs on six hits over five innings. Pimentel walked three and struck out eight.

Travis Seabrooke (Peterborough, Ont.) worked two scoreless innings in relief of James. Kyle Thomas pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh for Winnipeg.

Navarro robbed Landon at shortstop in the bottom of the second. Landon ripped a ground ball into the hole that Navarro stopped on one knee to his backhand. With Landon sprinting down the first base line, Navarro hurled a perfect one-hop throw, still on one knee, to Kyle Martin at first base to complete the putout.

The series concludes Thursday night. Joey Gonzalez (0-0, 0.00) faces Canaries’ left-hander Ty Culbreth (0-0, 0.00).

The Goldeyes will continue to monitor the reopening of the Canada/US border and assess a potential return to Shaw Park in 2021.