Series Ends with a Thud
Published on June 24, 2012 under American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release
The Winnipeg Goldeyes found themselves trailing the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 11-1 after three innings. Not surprisingly, they didn't recover.
RedHawks centrefielder Nic Jackson had a double, a home run and five runs batted in while third baseman Ryan Stovall had two singles, a home and three RBI, as the RedHawks pounded eight Goldeyes pitchers for 16 runs on 13 hits (along with nine walks) as the 'Hawks won their third straight from the Fish and took the four-game series in Winnipeg, three-games-to-one. The final score was 16-7 and it was a tribute to the resiliency of a Goldeyes team that, as manager Rick Forney said, "has nothing left in the tank."
With 6,628 spectators looking on, the RedHawks scored a run in the first off Goldeyes starter and loser Chris Zbin (0-1, 15.43 ERA), but the Fish battled back with a run in the bottom of the first as Price Kendall singled and eventually came around to score on a base hit by Jon Weber.
But that's when the roof fell in on the Goldeyes. Fargo put up three in the second and then seven in the third and there was no air left in Winnipeg's balloon.
"We were manhandled," Forney said. "You can't walk that many guys and have a chance to win. Especially when the other team is running, you know they're running and you don't adjust your delivery in order to hold runners. But it's tough for kids to come into a league like this where it's so fast for them. If they don't get through a couple of innings unscathed it just piles up on them and they can get manhandled."
With the score 11-1 in the fourth, the Goldeyes tried to battle back as Dan Barbero and David Narodowski each drove in runs and Price Kendall knocked in a pair with a bases-loaded single, but 11-5 was as close as Winnipeg would come.
In the fifth, Jackson hit a two-run homer and Stovall hit a three-run bomb and that was it. The Fish put up a run in the seventh and another in the eighth, but this one was over early.
Aaron Shafer (2-4, 6.43) got the win for Fargo, who improved to 17-19 on the season. The Goldeyes fell to 21-15 and now lead Sioux Falls by just a game and a half in the race for first in the North Division.
"In a three-game series, other than the start we got from Ace, we got starts of 4.2 innings, two and two," Forney said. "You're going to get your brains beat out if you don't get longer starts and we got our brains beat out today.
"Our guys have nothing left in the tank right now. The life has been sucked right out of this team (with injuries, call-ups and a tough early-season travel schedule). We aren't even going to take batting practice for the next three days. I want the guys to rest and use one three-hour window a day to play the games. We need some rest."
Monday night the Sioux City Explorers will open a three-game series at Shaw Park in Winnipeg. Matt Rusch (4-1, 1.97 ERA) will get the start in the opener for the Goldeyes.
Game time is 7 p.m. and it can be heard live on TSN Radio 1290 with Paul Edmonds calling the play-by-play.
American Association Stories from June 24, 2012
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- American Association Game Recaps - AA
- Diablos Salvage Series Behind Strong Start From Hodsdon - El Paso Diablos
- Jarvis Blanks Wichita - Sioux City Explorers
- Sadler Leads T-Bones to Win against Amarillo - Kansas City Monarchs
- Explorers End Wingnuts' Streak - Wichita Wingnuts
- American Association Game Recaps - AA
- Series Ends with a Thud - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Spiers Has Big Day, Bullpen Nails as 'Dogs Take Series - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Massaro Hits Record Three Triples in RailCats Loss - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Michael's Gem Leads Pheasants to Shutout Win - Sioux Falls Canaries
- Saints Blanked for First Time this Season, Lose 8-0 - St. Paul Saints
- T-Bones Acquire Former Big League Infielder - Kansas City Monarchs
- Fish Make Three Moves - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Saints Sign Former St. Thomas All-American Pitcher, Twins Farmhand, Matt Schuld - St. Paul Saints
- Lemurs Win with Four in the Fourth - Laredo Lemurs
- T-Bones Win Big with 16 Runs - Kansas City Monarchs
- Diablos' Losing Streak Hits Five As Garcia Struggles In Debut - El Paso Diablos
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