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Canizares' Blast Lifts Goldeyes to Game 1 Victory

September 11, 2012 - American Association (AA) Winnipeg Goldeyes

A monster home run by clean-up hitter Barbaro Canizares on a 3-0 count in the bottom of the 10th inning gave the Winnipeg Goldeyes Game 1 of the American Association championship series.

Tuesday night at Shaw Park in downtown Winnipeg, Canizares hit a belt-high fastball from Wichita Wingnuts reliever Josh Dew all the way to the Red River to seal a 5-4 victory for Winnipeg and hand Brian Beuning his first win of the post-season. It also gave Winnipeg a hard-earned victory after a tremendous Game 1 of the best-of-five American Association final.

"He got a pitch he could handle on a 3-0 count and we knew he had the green light," said Kyle Day, who had a tremendous game for Winnipeg. "The guy is a great hitter and if he gets a pitch he can drive, he can hit it a long way."

This was an outstanding game right from the opening pitch. In fact, Goldeyes centrefielder Chris Roberson made a sensational sliding catch deep in the right-centerfield gap to record the first out of the evening.

Winnipeg opened the scoring with a run in the second as Canizares walked, Josh Mazzola walked Luis Alen singled to load the bases and Canizares eventually scored on a ground out by Day.

Wichita scored twice in the third to take a 2-1 lead but Winnipeg tied it up in the bottom of the third as Price Kendall singled and eventually came around to score on a bases-loaded walk to Mazzola.

Wichita took a 3-2 lead in the fifth, but Winnipeg tied it in the sixth on a double by Mazzola and an RBI single by Mike Coles.

Wichita went ahead 4-3 in the eighth, but in the bottom of the inning, the Goldeyes found a little two-out lightning.

After Mazzola and Alen struck out, Coles doubled and then Day followed with a double off the wall to tie the game at 4-4.

"I just wanted to stay positive," said Day who also made three great catches in left field. "I was 0-for-12 in the post-season when I came to the plate but I just told myself to stick to the process and have fun playing baseball. I wanted to wait for my pitch and put a good swing on it and I was able to do that."

Day's heroics with two out in the eighth, set up Canizares' walk-off bomb in the 10th. Canizares first hit of the night ended the night.

Beuning (1-0, 1.08 ERA) got the win for Winnipeg while Dew (0-1, 5.40 ERA) suffered the loss. The Canizares blast was only the second home run allowed by Dew all season.

Two of the best pitchers in the American Association, Ace Walker for Winnipeg and Josh Lowey (the league's pitcher of the year) for Wichita, started the game but went only 5.2 innings each as a tight strike zone forced nine walks between them, unusually high pitch counts and a very long three hour and 30 minute game.

The Goldeyes and Wingnuts will play Game 2 of this best-of-five championship final on Wednesday night at Shaw Park in downtown Winnipeg. Lefty Chris Salamida (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will get the start for the Goldeyes while Ryan Hinson (1-0, 1.35 ERA) will toe the slab for Wichita.

Great seats for tomorrow's game are available through Ticketmaster by clicking on Ticketmaster.ca, calling 1-855-GOLDEYE or visiting any Ticketmaster location, including the box office at Shaw Park.

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American Association Stories from September 11, 2012


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