Throttled in Canada
June 30, 2009 - Northern League (NL)
Schaumburg Flyers News Release
WINNIPEG - Another tough night for the Flyers came and went Tuesday in Winnipeg, as the Goldeyes trounced Schaumburg 16-4 in front of a sellout crowd at Canwest Park in Manitoba. The Goldeyes opened up an 11-0 lead after two innings, and every member of their lineup recorded at least one hit. But the Winnipeg victory was marred by the loss of shortstop Wes Long to injury in the third inning.
Winnipeg opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Goldeyes hitters tagged Flyers started Ed Almonte for three runs on four hits in the first, all singles. The real damage was done in the second inning, as Schaumburg pitchers surrendered a season-high eight runs in the inning to make the score 11-0 after only two innings. Almonte (3-4) left the game after giving up 10 runs, nine of which were earned, in only 1.1 innings.
In an otherwise terrific night for Winnipeg, the victory was dampened by an injury to All-Star shortstop Wes Long. On a double play ball in the third inning, first baseman Cody Ehlers tagged the bag at first and threw to second where Long tagged a sliding Richard Mercado. Long left the game after the ensuing collision, with the team hearing word later in the game that Long will possibly miss the rest of the season with a broken left ankle.
The game then cruised along, with the Goldeyes adding another run in the bottom of the third. Tensions ran high at the start of the sixth inning, when Winnipeg starter Andrew Cruse threw a retaliation pitch well behind the back of Mercado. Home plate umpire Hank Himmanen immediately got between Mercado and Cruse, warning both benches in the process. Mercado would eventually walk and score the first run for the Flyers on a double by Travis Brown.
Cruse (3-3) threw a solid outing, giving up one more run in the seventh inning before exiting. The Goldeyes proceeded to add four more runs off of reliever Jeff Dunbar in the bottom of the seventh, putting the game completely out of reach at 16-2. Josh Asanovich capped off an impressive day going 4-for-6 with four runs scored and one RBI.
Victor Ferrante clubbed his team-leading seventh home run in the eighth inning, a solo shot to dead center field. Cephas Howard scorched a double in his first professional plate appearance in the ninth, and Craig Maddox would plate the final run for the Flyers, continuing his impressive start in a Flyers uniform with two hits and two walks.
Winnipeg goes for the sweep tomorrow afternoon on Canada Day, sending LHP Zach Baldwin (2-1, 5.12) to the hill to face off against RHP Dustin Glant (4-2, 3.68) for the Flyers. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00.
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Northern League Stories from June 30, 2009
- Throttled in Canada - Schaumburg Flyers
- Goldeyes Get Huge Victory - Winnipeg Goldeyes
- Hard-Hitting RedHawks Smash Way to 8-1 Win Over RailCats - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Kansas City Returns to .500 with 5-4 Win - Kansas City Monarchs
- JackHammers Come Up Short - Joliet JackHammers
- Northern League All-Star Rosters Announced - Joliet JackHammers
- Seven RailCats Selected for Northern League All-Star Game - Gary SouthShore Railcats
- Nine Flyers named to All-Star Team - Schaumburg Flyers
- Knippschild Named Pitcher of the Week - Kansas City Monarchs
- Brown Earns League Honours - Winnipeg Goldeyes
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