Hernandez Stops Streak
July 3, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release
Josh Mazzola his a three-run homer in the first inning, Luis Alen hit a grand slam in the eighth and Nick Hernandez pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on nine scattered hits as the Winnipeg Goldeyes beat the Sioux City Explorers 13-2 at Shaw Park on Thursday night.
With the win, the Fish put a halt to a four-game losing streak, improved to 16-22 on the season and salvaged the final game of a four-game series against the powerful 28-12 Explorers.
After losing 14-0 to the Explorers on Wednesday afternoon, a 13-2 win over the same ball club was a boost for the scuffling Goldeyes.
"A team plays a lot differently when you arrive at the ballpark believing you can win," said Goldeyes manager Rick Forney. "That's what we're like when Nick Hernandez is starting for us. Yesterday (Wednesday) when we lost (14-0), I started thinking maybe I didn't have the right people in the right places. But then we come back tonight with Nick on the mound and we play as well as we have in some time.
"You can have all the offense or a great defense, but none of it matters without starting pitching. Tonight we got starting pitching and that's the difference."
With Hernandez grinding on the mound, the Goldeyes got started early against Sioux City starter Jeff Marquez, who once pitched for the Chicago White Sox (2010) and New York Yankees (2011).
In the first inning Adam Heisler singled, Casey Haerther singled and then Mazzola hit a belt-high fastball off the Shaw TV camera booth in straightaway centre field to give the Fish a 3-0 lead.
In the second, Chris Robinson led off with a single, Luis Alen beat out an infield hit and Brady Wilson was safe on a fielder's choice. Heisler singled to drive in Robinson and then Jon Weber singled to drive in Alen and Wilson. It was 6-0 after two innings and for the first time this season, Hernandez had a comfortable lead with which to work.
Brad Boyer, who went three-for-four with two RBI, hit a solo shot to open the third and give Winnipeg a 7-0 lead. Then after Sioux City scored single runs in the fifth and seventh, the Goldeyes posted a five-spot in the seventh.
Jon Weber, who went three-for-four with a pair of RBI and a run scored, led off with a double, Josh Mazzola walked and Weber scored on a single by Boyer. Then Ryan Babineau walked to load the bases and Luis Alen hit a bomb over the leftfield wall for a grand slam home run.
Alen wasn't finished, however. He singled in the eighth to drive home Kyle Brandenburg with the Goldeyes final run.
By driving in five runs, Alen surpassed Harry Berrios (319) and now has the Goldeyes franchise record for career RBI with 323. He also leads the franchise in hits with 659 after picking up three more on Thursday.
The Goldeyes finished with 13 runs on 16 hits. Heisler, Haerther, Weber, Boyer, Robinson and Alen all had multi-hit games.
Hernandez (4-2, 2.11 ERA) got the win for the Goldeyes while Marquez (4-4, 4.42 ERA), the former major leaguer, was tagged with the loss.
"I was grinding it out there tonight," said Hernandez. "I had pretty good stuff, but not my best, so I just tried to pound the strike zone, use both sides of the plate and keep the ball down. I mean, if I'd given up four or five walks with those nine hits, we might have been in trouble against that team, but I was able to throw strikes and that kept us in it."
The Goldeyes will now open a three-game weekend series against manager Hal Lanier and the Ottawa Champions. Friday night's game begins at 7:05 p.m. at Shaw Park. Righthander Matt Jackson (2-4, 6.53 ERA) will get the start for Winnipeg.
Tickets for all Goldeyes home games in 2015 are available through Ticketmaster by clicking on Goldeyes.com, calling 1-855-GOLDEYE or visiting any Ticketmaster location, including the Shaw Park box office.
American Association Stories from July 3, 2015
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- Patrick Johnson Goes The Distance In Win Vs Sioux Falls - Sioux City Explorers
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- Hernandez Stops Streak - Winnipeg Goldeyes
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