Goldeyes Score Three in Tenth, Beat RailCats 5-2 to Split Series
Published on August 16, 2009 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release
GARY, Ind. - Cristian Guerrero hit a two-out game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Winnipeg Goldeyes scored three two-out runs in the top of the tenth to win 5-2 Sunday in front of 4,482 fans at U. S. Steel Yard to earn a split of the four-game series.
With the RailCats offense stalled by Winnipeg starter Bear Bay, the Goldeyes - ahead 2-1 - went to the bullpen for closer Chris Homer in the ninth. Homer got the first two outs of the inning to make it 14 straight RailCats retired before Guerrero stepped in. The slugging 'Cats veteran worked a 2-1 count and crushed a Homer fastball to the deepest part of the park, tying the score and setting off a wild celebration in the seats. The home run was Guerrero's team-leading 10th of the year and his fifth in the last nine games.
The crowd's enthusiasm was quickly tempered, however, when Josh Asanovich reached on a one-out walk in the tenth and went to second on a Juan Diaz single. Grant Johnson (4-7) got Kevin West to pop up for the second out, but Brent Metheny followed with a single to right, scoring Asanovich, and Dee Brown's bloop hit scored Diaz then Metheny when the ball sat unclaimed on the grass in right.
The RailCats got the tying run to the plate with one out in the tenth, but Matt Davis got out of the jam to record his 13th save. Zach Baldwin (4-2) got the last out of the ninth inning to earn the win.
Both Bay and Tony Cogan were excellent from the start, with Bay lasting eight innings and allowing only a single run in the third when Mike Massaro's double play ground ball scored Anthony Esquer from third. The Goldeyes got the tying run thanks to a RailCats error in the fourth and Cory Patton homered in the fifth to put Winnipeg in front. Cogan went seven innings and allowed seven hits and two runs (one earned) to go with five strikeouts.
Esquer was the only RailCats player with two hits Sunday as part of an eight-hit attack. Esquer, Chris Carrara and Jeff Beachum each collected doubles. Diaz went 3-for-4 while West and Metheny each had two hits to lead the Goldeyes.
The RailCats (49-34) move west to Joliet Monday night at 7 p.m. to open a three-game series at Silver Cross Field against the JackHammers (29-52). Derell McCall (5-0, 2.67 ERA) will make his sixth start of the season for the RailCats against Joliet right-hander Nate Sevier (2-2, 3.13 ERA). The game, as always, will be broadcast live on 89.1 FM, The Lakeshore, and online at www.railcatsbaseball.com.
Notes: The Goldeyes reclaimed sole possession of first place with the win, leaving U. S. Steel Yard in the same position in the standings (one game ahead of the RailCats) as when they entered ... the Goldeyes clinched a playoff berth with the win, joining the RailCats as Northern League team's already secured in the postseason ... the game was the last of the regular season between the two teams, with the Goldeyes winning the season series 12-8 ... Steve Haake stole second base in the fourth inning, the 100th of his five-year RailCats career. Haake is the only RailCats player ever to steal 100 bases in his career.
Northern League Stories from August 16, 2009
- Goldeyes Score Three in Tenth, Beat RailCats 5-2 to Split Series - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- RedHawks and JackHammers Suspended Sunday - Joliet JackHammers
- Final game of Flyers series washed out - Schaumburg Flyers
- Rubber match postponed due to rain - Kansas City Monarchs
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