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AA Winnipeg Goldeyes

Goldeyes Slide Past Saints to End Homestand

July 17, 2014 - American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release


The Winnipeg Goldeyes got a jolt of momentum and some important separation on Thursday afternoon.

Playing in front of a crowd of 5,788 at Shaw Park, the Fish beat the St. Paul Saints 7-2 to win the final game of a five-game series and pull 4 1/2 games ahead of the Saints in the race for first in the American Association's North Division.

Casey Haerther was the hitting hero as the leading hitter in the league raised his average to .396 with three hits in five trips and also drove in a pair of runs as the Goldeyes improved to 37-22 on the season. Luis Alen had a hit in three trips, scored a run and drove in a run; Reggie Abercrombie went three-for-four with two runs scored; and Donnie Webb had two hits, including a solo homer as the Goldeyes put an end to a three-game losing streak.

However, while the bats came alive, the real hero might have been starter Ethan Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth battled for 6 2/3 innings, allowing only one run on eight scattered hits as the Saints had at least one base runner in every inning and had runners in scoring position in seven of the nine innings.

"That was a big win for us because it gives us some momentum heading out onto the road," said Haerther, whose two-run double in the eighth put the game out of reach.

"This is a team that won't go very long without scoring runs and we knew we'd start getting good at bats again. This win was good for us, good for everybody in the clubhouse, because even though it was a tough homestand, we won the last game and we all feel good about ourselves going into Kansas City."

It was a wild one in many ways for the Goldeyes. In the first inning, third baseman Jake Blackwood drilled a double and pulled up lame at second base. He had to be taken out of the game so it meant moving Josh Mazzola to third, Luis Alen to first and Jordan Guida to catcher.

But then, in the next inning, newcomer Sam Kimmel pulled up lame in the outfield and the moves were on again. With the Goldeyes down to nothing on the bench but pitchers, reliever Kaohi Downing moved to rightfield and Donnie Webb moved to leftfield. But when the game got tight, manager Rick Forney moved Guida to first base and Alen back behind the plate. For the ninth inning, Forney took Guida out of the game and put Haerther, the DH at first. It's more managing than anyone should have to do in one afternoon.

"I've often pitched to two different catchers in a game," said Hollingsworth. "But I think it's the first time I've pitched to one, then to another and then to the first guy again. But it was easy. Jordan and Luis both call great games so it was no problem for me at all."

It took a while for the Goldeyes to get on the board, but when they did, they did it with gusto.

In the fifth, trailing 1-0, Abercrombie led off with a double and eventually came home on a single by Alen. Guida, who was safe on an error, scored on a ground out by Haerther and the Fish had a 2-1 lead.

Webb homered in the sixth to make it 3-1 and then the Goldeyes scored again when Brock Bond came home on an error by St. Paul shortstop Joey Becker.

St. Paul cut the Goldeyes lead to 4-2 in the top of the eighth, but ion the bottom of the inning, Alen drove in a run with a single and Haerther drove in two with a double and the Goldeyes had bounced back from losing a doubleheader on Wednesday night.

Hollingsworth (4-0, 3.96 ERA) got the win while St. Paul starter Robert Coe (4-5, 6.36 ERA) took the loss. There was no save

The Goldeyes left immediately after the game for Kansas City where they will play a three-game weekend series. Winnipeg will return home on Monday to open a three-game series with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. All three of this weekend's games can be heard live with Steve Schuster at the microphone on The Jewel 101 (100.7 FM on your dial).

Tickets for all 2014 Winnipeg Goldeyes games and the 2014 American Association All-Star Game are available through Ticketmaster by clicking on Goldeyes.com, calling 1-855-GOLDEYE or visiting any Ticketmaster location, including the Shaw Park box office.

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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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