Smith Spins a Gem, But Goldeyes Shutout
September 1, 2015 - American Association (AA)
Winnipeg Goldeyes News Release
Winnipeg Goldeyes manager Rick Forney thought Tony Smith pitched his best game as a Goldeyes starter on Tuesday night. Too bad one mistake cost him.
Smith allowed only one run on five hits over eight strong innings, but got absolutely no offensive help as the Goldeyes fell 1-0 to the Sioux Falls Canaries at Shaw Park.
Smith threw 86 pitches in eight innings and only 16 of those pitches were out of the strike zone. However, he threw a fastball up in the zone to Canaries' first baseman David Bergin in the second inning and Bergin hit it over the left field wall. It was the only run of the night.
"I don't know but that might have been Tony's best outing of the season right there," said Forney. "I was talking to Verm (pitching coach Jamie Vermilyea) just before the game and asked if Tony could give us five or six innings tonight and he gave us eight. Can't ask for much more than that. He has a delivery that has a lot of moving parts, but his body was really good tonight. He got his fastball over and breaking ball was really good tonight. He threw a lot of strikes.
"I feel badly for Tony, but we've all been there (Forney was a former Goldeyes pitcher). You can only control what you can control. You go out and pitch the best you possibly can but you can't control what the offence is going to do."
Sadly, the offence didn't much of anything. The Goldeyes had runners in scoring position with less than two outs in the second, third and eighth inning and couldn't coax them across. They had a runner at second base in the seventh with two out and couldn't convert that opportunity either.
In the end, the Goldeyes finished with no runs on six hits while Sioux Falls had one run on seven hits. Casey Haerther, with a pair of singles, was the only Goldeyes batter to have a multi-hit game.
Sioux Falls starter Joe Bircher (4-4, 3.16 ERA) earned the win for the Canaries, while Smith (3-4, 4.73 ERA) suffered the hard-luck loss. Chase Johnson picked up his 14th save for the Canaries.
The Goldeyes and Canaries will play Game 2 of this four-game series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. at Shaw Park. Left-hander Nick Hernandez (8-7, 2.88 ERA) will take to the mound for the Goldeyes while right-hander Shawn Blackwell (3-9, 3.99 ERA) will get the start for Sioux Falls.
American Association Stories from September 1, 2015
- Saints Set Franchise Record for Runs in Season in 6-2 Victory - St. Paul Saints
- Smith Spins a Gem, But Goldeyes Shutout - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Blasters Winning Streak Ends in Lincoln - Joplin Blasters
- Collins Carves, Bats Bark in 'Dogs Blowout - Lincoln Saltdogs
- Muren Named League Player of the Month - Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
- Wort Honored with Pitcher of the Month - AA
- Muren's August Surge Lands Him Player of the Month - AA
- Saints Want Your Brains, Part of a Complete Breakfast, at CHS Field from September 1-7 - St. Paul Saints
- Goldeyes Drop Series to RedHawks - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- T-Bones Get Walk-Off Win in 12 - Kansas City Monarchs
- American Association Game Recaps - AA
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