Fish Win in Extras to Open Series against Diablos
Published on May 24, 2012 under American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release
While it might create the odd heart-stopping moment, the 2012 edition Winnipeg Goldeyes are more than proving capable of coming through the late inning heroics with the win.
Winnipeg tied the game in the ninth inning and scored the winning the runs in the 10th inning in a 9-7 victory over the El Paso Diablos Thursday night in front of 2,416 spectators at Cohen Stadium in west Texas.
After their first two batters of the ballgame reached on errors, the Goldeyes struck for four runs in the first inning on four hits, including RBI singles from Jon Weber, Matt Cusick and Amos Ramon and a sac fly from Yurendell de Caster.
With a 4-1 lead, de Caster led off the third inning with his first home run of the season to left field, but the four-run advantage was short lived.
El Paso tied the game at 5-5 with four runs of their own in the fourth inning. The Diablos dished out six runs in the inning, including an RBI single by former Goldeyes outfield Brian Joynt, and sent 10 men the plate.
Chris Roberson scored gave Winnipeg back the lead with a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning to score Josh Mazzola from second, but El Paso responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead, 7-6, for the first time in the game.
"We started good, but then we just got too comfortable," said de Caster, who led Winnipeg with three RBI.
"The thing I like is that we didn't stop. They tied the game, but we kept battling."
The Goldeyes tied the contest just in time in the ninth inning. Roberson led off the inning with a triple off the left field wall and scored two batters later on de Caster's second sac fly of the contest.
Reliever Craig James found a bit of trouble in the bottom of the ninth inning, but got Joynt and JJ Muse to strike out with runners on first and second base.
"I guess I work well when I get runners on in scoring position," said James, who picked up the win in a similar fashion in Amarillo last weekend. "Something turns on to where I don't want to let the team down. I've been in that situation before and I've gotten out of it. There's no reason why I can't get out of it again."
With two-out in the top of the 10th inning, Mazzola hit a two-out RBI triple to score Cusick, who led off the inning with a single and went to second on a bunt by Ramon.
"If you play smart, like Amos did with the bunt, you're going to score a lot in the late innings," de Caster said.
Nick Carr forced three ground outs in the bottom of 10th inning to get his second save of the season.
Geivy Garcia takes the loss for El Paso after giving up the winning run in the top of the 10th inning.
Winnipeg starter Brian Leach lasted just three and a third innings. He was charged with El Paso's first four runs, but takes a no decision.
The Goldeyes will send Matt Rusch (1-0, 0.00) to the hill tomorrow for his second start the season. El Paso will start their pitching coach/pitcher Freddy Flores (0-0, 1.50).
Tomorrow's pre-game show on TSN 1290 with Paul Edmonds begins at 7:30 p.m.
American Association Stories from May 24, 2012
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