No Deficit Too Deep as Fish Win Fifth Straight Series
Published on August 2, 2013 under American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release
The Winnpeg Goldeyes new motto: Never give up, never surrender.
Thursday night, in front of 5,265 at Shaw Park, Kevin Moesquit singled home Josh Mazzola with the winning run in the bottom of the 12th as the Fish battled back from an early 5-1 deficit and then a 7-5 deficit in the 12th to beat the Lincoln Saltdogs 8-7 in a thriller.
The Goldeyes had runners in scoring position in the eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th innings, but couldn't get a clutch hit to bring home the winning run. Then in the bottom of the 12th, shortly after Lincoln had taken a 7-5 lead, they got a sacrifice fly from Fehlandt Lentini, a game-tying single from Luis Alen and then the winner from Moesquit.
With the victory, the Goldeyes took three-of-four from Lincoln, won their fifth straight series, finished the 11-game homestand with a record of 8-3, improved to 37-33 on the season and pulled to within 5 1/2 games back of Fargo in the race for first in the American Association's North Division. The Goldeyes head to Fargo for a huge three-game series this weekend. Winnipeg is also now 3 1/2 games behind the Gary SouthShore RailCats for the wild card.
With the score tied 5-5 heading into the 12th inning, the Saltdogs drilled three straight singles off Goldeyes reliever Kaohi Downing to open the inning. David Espinosa led off with a single, Curt Smith singled and then Ian Gac singled home the go-ahead run. The single by Espinosa went off the glove of Goldeyes shortstop Mazzola, while the single by Gac went off the glove of second baseman Moesquit.
After a walk to Matt Forgatch and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brian Embery, Lincoln celebrated what appeared to be an insurance run. But the Fish didn't quit.
In the bottom of the 12th against Lincoln's lock-down closer R.J. Rodriguez, the Goldeyes thrilled the home crowd. Ryan Scoma led off with a single and then Casey Haerther and Josh Mazzola walked. Fehlandt Lentini hit a line shot to centre and Mike Coles made a sensational catch, but Scoma scored from third to make the score 7-6. Luis Alen then singled to drive home Haerther with the tying run and Moesquit singled to right on a 3-2 count to score Mazzola with the game-winner.
It was a sensational ball game -- a game that featured the arm of Goldeyes left fielder Ryan Scoma, who threw out Lincoln's Ian Gac at homeplate, not once but twice, including a game-saving assist in the top of the 10th.
Lincoln opened the scoring with a run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Brian Embery and then added two in the third on a two-run homer by Gac.
Winnipeg's Amos Ramon hit a solo homer in the fourth to make it 3-1, but Lincoln put up two more in the top of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead.
However, in the sixth, the Goldeyes put up a big, crooked number. Tyler Graham led off with a hustling double and after Ramon grounded out, Ray Sadler singled home Graham. Ryan Scoma popped out for the second out of the inning but then Casey Haerther singled, Josh Mazzola singled to drive home Sadler and then Fehlandt Lentini singled to bring home Haerther and Mazzola. With that, the Goldeyes had tied it at 5-5.
The Goldeyes had 16 hits in the game. Leadoff man Tyler Graham went four-for-six with a stolen base and a run scored. Ramon, Scoma, Mazzola and Alen all had multi-hit games. Lentini finished with three RBI.
Despite giving up two in the 12th, Downing (3-4, 3.07 ERA) got the win, while Rodriguez (0-2, 4.73 ERA) suffered the loss. He also blew his second save of the season in 25 opportunities. Five Goldeyes pitchers combined to strike out 14 Saltdogs. Starters Chris Salamida of the Goldeyes and Mike Burns of the Saltdogs were long gone by the time this one was decided.
The Goldeyes will get on the bus Friday morning and head to Fargo to start on a three-game weekend series against the RedHawks. Matt Rusch (5-3, 4.29 ERA) will get the start for the Fish on Friday night, while Danny Gutierrez (0-1, 2.46 ERA) will take to the mound for Fargo. Game time is 7:00 p.m. and it can be heard live on TSN 1290, beginning with the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m.
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