NL Gary SouthShore Railcats

RailCats Cruise to 9-4 History-Making Win in Winnipeg

Published on June 19, 2008 under Northern League (NL)
Gary SouthShore Railcats News Release


WINNIPEG, Manitoba - The Gary SouthShore RailCats scored three runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings and Jeremy Plexico pitched eight innings as the RailCats beat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 9-4 Thursday afternoon, winning a series at Canwest Park for the first time in franchise history.

With back-to-back wins Wednesday and Thursday, fourth-year RailCats manager Greg Tagert improved to just 3-12 all-time against the Goldeyes in Winnipeg, and the RailCats have still not lost a series since late May. The RailCats are 14-4 in their last 18 games and moved a season-high four games over .500 with win.

Plexico's eight-inning start was the longest by a RailCats pitcher this season. The left-hander has earned the win in each of his last five starts, tying Joliet's Aaron Trolia for the Northern League lead with five victories overall this season. Plexico allowed only two Brent Metheny home runs - a two-run shot in the first and a solo blast in the sixth - and struck out six. The Goldeyes managed just six hits against Plexico, who lowered his ERA to 3.49, fifth best in the league entering Thursday.

Offensively, the RailCats took advantage of some shaky Goldeyes defense to put four unearned runs on the board in the third and fourth innings. Eric Blakeley had a run-scoring single in the third, and Steve Haake and Mike Reese had RBI hits in the fourth as the RailCats chased Winnipeg starter Aaron Jackson (1-1) after only 3.2 innings.

Dustin Pease pitched through the sixth in relief for the Goldeyes and ran into a couple RailCats bats in his final inning of work. Jay Pecci hit his fourth home run of the season with one out in the inning, and three batters later Tanner Townsend launched a majestic two-run homer to left to make it 9-2. Townsend leads the RailCats with seven home runs and 29 RBIs, and has four home runs and 12 RBIs on an eight-game hit streak.

Pecci and Reese each had three hits for the RailCats, and Haake and Brett Wallace each singled twice. The RailCats cranked out 14 hits - one fewer than their total from the first two games of the series - and got hits from eight different batters. Only Eric McNamee, who had his 26-game on base streak snapped, failed to reach base.

The RailCats (18-14) went 6-2 on their season-long eight-game road trip and will host Schaumburg (12-20) Friday at 7 p.m. to kick off a six-game homestand at U. S. Steel Yard. Drew Dickinson (1-1, 5.09 ERA) will start for the RailCats against Matt Varner (0-5, 8.89). That game will be broadcast live on WEFM, 95.9 FM, and online at www.sportsjuice.com .

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Northern League Stories from June 19, 2008


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