Five-Run First Vaults Fish Past KC
Published on June 12, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release
A quick start by the hitters and a great start from Luis Villarreal was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Sunday.
The Fish scored five times on five hits in the first inning, while Villarreal went 5.2 innings, allowing only two runs (one earned) and just five hits, as the Goldeyes walloped the Kansas City T-Bones 9-2 in front of 5,638 enthusiastic spectators at Shaw Park.
The Goldeyes salvaged the final game of this three-game series after losing Game 1, 6-5 on Friday night and Game 2, 5-4 on Saturday. With the win, Winnipeg improved to 16-14 while Kansas City fell to 13-16.
Player of the game Wes Long had an outstanding day for the Fish. He went four-for-four with a walk, scored twice and drove home three. After struggling since returning from a wrist injury, it was Long's best outing of the season.
"I'm feeling a lot better and I've felt good for the last few days, but I had nothing to show for," said Long, whose batting average jumped from .198 to .235 with Sunday's outing. "We did a pretty good job today getting guys to second base and then getting them home. We finally got some big hits."
The Goldeyes got going early on Sunday. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Kody Kaiser singled, stole second and scored on a single by Wes Long. Brian Myrow then singled and Luis Alen doubled home Long. Justin Bass walked to load the bases and then Louis Ott walked, sending Myrow home with the eventual winning run. Alan Rick singled home Alen and then Victor Ferrante grounded out to first, scoring Bass.
"It was nice to put up some runs early in the game," Long said. "It was good that we answered Kansas City after they scored in the top of the first. That gave Luis a chance to pitch from four runs ahead.
"For me, it was just good to have the ball drop in. I just went out there today focusing on staying locked in and then executing. In every one of my at bats, I didn't lose focus."
It was 5-2 in the fourth when the Goldeyes put up three more. Ferrante doubled, Price Kendall singled him home, Kendall went to second on a throwing error and scored on a single by Long. Long moved over to second on a single by Alen, his second of three hits on the day, and then Long stole third and scored on a double by Justin Bass.
In the seventh, Long drove home his third run on a walk with the bases load as Winnipeg coasted to a victory for one of the few times this season.
The Goldeyes finished with nine runs on 16 hits and three errors while the T-Bones could manage only two runs on seven hits. They made one error.
Villarreal (2-0, 0.71 ERA), earned the win while T-Bones starter Kyle Dahman (0-1, 5.32) suffered the loss. Chad Benefield (1.42) gave up no runs in 1.1 innings and Ian Thomas (2.94) pitched a scoreless ninth to put it away.
"I felt pretty good out there today but it's always nice to get a few runs and know you're going into the second inning with a four-run lead," said Villarreal. "With that kind of a lead, you just go out there and let them get themselves out. They'll be overly-aggressive and I just threw strikes and challenged them and let them get themselves out."
The Goldeyes will open a three-game series against the Sioux Falls Pheasants on Monday night at Shaw Park. Brandon Raposa (1-3, 5.52) will start for Sioux Falls. The Goldeyes starter is yet to be announced.
That game, featuring Paul Edmonds on the AM microphone, can be heard live on Sports Radio 1290, starting with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m.
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