Extra, Extra, Goldeyes Sweep Doubleheader
Published on May 24, 2015 under American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release
It took a lot of extra effort, but the Winnipeg Goldeyes swept a doubleheader from the Grand Prairie AirHogs Sunday afternoon in the Lone Star State.
The Goldeyes won the first game 4-2 in nine innings and the second game 4-3 in 11 innings to improve to 3-1 on the season.
After Saturday night's game was rained out, the two sides were scheduled to play two seven-inning games on Sunday, but ended up playing 20 innings between the two games.
Grand Prairie got the first run of Game 2 in the bottom of the third when Chris Elder singled off Goldeyes starter Rob Nixon to score Hayden Jennings.
Winnipeg replied in the top of the sixth when Josh Mazzola singled in Brad Boyer.
The Goldeyes scored single runs in the top of ninth and 10th innings, but Grand Prairie scored the tying run with two out in in the bottom half of each of those innings.
Winnipeg finally sealed the game in the top of the 11 th inning thanks to the international tiebreaking rule, which calls for the last batter of the previous inning to be placed on second base to start the next inning. Brady Wilson was that base runner for the Goldeyes in the 11th inning and he came around the score the winning run on a Luis Alen single.
Tony Smith, who allowed the tying run to score in the bottom of the 10 th, came back out for the 11th and shut down the AirHogs for his second win of the season. Smith also picked up the win in the first game. He's the first pitcher in Goldeyes history to win both games of a doubleheader.
Blake Oliver took the loss for Grand Prairie.
The extra inning drama would have ended much sooner of the Goldeyes cashed in their base runners. Winnipeg stranded 24 runners in the doubleheader, including six in the final two innings of the second game.
In the first game, the Goldeyes battled back from a 2-1 deficit in their last at-bat to set up the extra inning win.
The Goldeyes opened the scoring in the top of the first on a Boyer RBI single. It was Boyer's first RBI of the season
Grand Prairie tied game on a Victor Diaz solo home run in the bottom of the second and took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Down to their last chance in the top of the seventh, Alen grinded out a one-out single and was pinch run for by Ramon Ortega, who went to third on a Casio Grider double. Casey Haether then ground into a fielder's choice, but Ortega scored from third on the play to tie in the game.
In the top of the ninth, the Goldeyes loaded the bases on a hit, error and intentional walk. Mazzola then singled in Grider to give the Goldeyes the lead. Haerther scored in the insurance run on a Mike Wilson fly ball, but the top half of the ninth ended when Mazzola was caught in a run down.
Jailen Peguero came in for the ninth inning and put Grand Prairie down 1-2-3 for his first save of the season.
Smith pitched the eighth inning for Winnipeg to get the win, while Logan Norris took the loss for the AirHogs.
In total, the Goldeyes and AirHogs played six hours and 32 minutes of baseball Sunday afternoon.
The Goldeyes now head to Wichita where they will continue this season-opening 10-game road trip with three games against the Wingnuts, beginning Tuesday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Opening Day starter Nick Hernandez (0-1, 5.40) will take to the hill for Winnipeg.
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