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AA Winnipeg Goldeyes

Errors Cost Goldeyes Chance to Win Series

August 1, 2012 - American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release


The Winnipeg Goldeyes took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning in Kansas City on Wednesday night. Two errors later, the Fish trailed 7-4.

And that's the way it ended at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in K.C. as Winnipeg battled back from a 3-0 deficit after the sixth to score a run in the seventh and three in the eighth, but a throwing error by third baseman Amos Ramon and then another by pitcher Griffin Bailey set up a four-run eighth inning for the T-Bones and sent Winnipeg back to the hotel with a 7-4 loss and yet another squandered lead late in a game.

"(Starter Josh) Rainwater pitched a great ball game but I thought we'd get to him and we started to and then we took the lead, but we just had a terrible inning in the eighth," said Goldeyes pitching coach Bill Pulsipher. "That eighth inning took all the wind out of our sails. Just one of those things. I don't know if the guys got nervous after we took the lead, I don't know. Tomorrow's another day."

With the loss, the Goldeyes fell to 40-29 on the season and had a two-game winning streak stopped. With Fargo's 14-2 win over St. Paul, the Fish fell 4 1/2 games behind the RedHawks in the race for first in the American Association. Meanwhile, Kansas City pulled to within two games of Winnipeg in the Wild Card race.

Kansas City opened the scoring with a run in the first, added one more in the fourth and then another in the fifth and led 3-0 heading into the top of the seventh.

But the Goldeyes got a solo homer in the top of the seventh from Josh Mazzola to cut the lead to 3-1 and then, in the eighth, Chris Roberson laid down a bunt single, Yurendell de Caster singled and then Luis Alen singled to drive in Roberson and make it 3-2. Mazzola then singled to drive in de Caster and Alen and suddenly the Goldeyes had a 4-3 lead.

But that didn't last very long. With three hits, a walk and two Goldeyes errors, the T-Bones put up a four spot in the bottom of the eighth and this game had turned quickly in Kansas City's favor.

"It was a bummer, just a bummer," added Pulsipher. "Tomorrow is a very big game. I just hope those guys can put this one behind them. We have to keep the eyes on the prize. Obviously, it's a 31-game sprint to the finish. We didn't play badly tonight, we just had one very poor inning.

"We have Matt Rusch starting for us tomorrow. It's always good to have a pitcher as good as Matt going for us the next day. Hopefully, the guys can come out and get Matt some runs and he brings his good stuff and we get back to our winning ways."

Mazzola was the star for Winnipeg with two hits - a single and his 11th home run of the season - and three runs batted in. Mazzola, who is hitting .304, now leads the Goldeyes with 11 homers and 50 RBI. Chris Roberson, who extended his hitting streak to 15 games, and Price Kendall also had two hits each for Winnipeg.

Reliever Griffin Bailey (3-4, 5.93 ERA) took the loss for Winnipeg while Brad Furnish (1-0, 2.70 ERA) got the win for Kansas City. Mike Mehlich (2.84 ERA) picked up his ninth save.

The same two teams meet Thursday at 7 in Kansas City. The game can be heard live on TSN 1290 with Paul Edmonds calling the play-by-play.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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