Alen hero in Goldeyes win

Winnipeg Goldeyes catcher Luis Alen hit the game-winning, bases-loaded, two-out single at Shaw Park for a 7-6 win over the Amarillo Sox on Wednesday.

Goldeyes' closer Nick Carr got the win before a crowd of 6,434.

The Goldeyes (8-3) battled back from behind after an error-filled first inning to get a second straight win over Amarillo (6-6) in the second game of the three-game American Association set between the two teams. The third game is today at 11 a.m. when about 6,000 school children are expected to be in attendance. Matt Rusch (1-0, 5.23) is expected to get the start for the Goldeyes while Amarillo will go with lefty Jack Spradlin (2-1, 6.94)

Five of the six Amarillo runs were unearned as the Goldeyes made four errors on the night. That followed two Goldeyes errors in Tuesday’s 4-3 win.

"Just play as good a defence as you can. Right now that's my biggest concern, our defence has been poor lately," said Goldeyes manager Rick Forney. "We need to find a way to be a little bit better at making the routine plays."

The Goldeyes saw the return of veteran Yurendell de Caster, who had served a one-game suspension on Tuesday and hit a three-run home run. The Goldeyes will get back veteran Jon Weber today as his two-game suspension has ended. The two were suspended by the league for their role in an eighth-inning altercation in El Paso last Saturday. Forney noted both de Caster and Weber are battling leg injuries and benefitted from the unexpected rest.

Alen, who had started the game at first base so rookie Dan Barbero could work in at catcher, led the Goldeyes with two hits, two RBI and a run scored. Barbero had two hits and scored two runs. Alen returned to catcher in the fifth inning. Centre-fielder Chris Roberson had two hits and two runs including the winning run on Alen's ninth-inning single.

While the Sox had an early five-run lead cut to two after de Caster's home run, the Goldeyes scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Alen had an RBI single while Goldeyes’ rookie outfielder Ridge Carpenter thrilled the crowd with a two-run triple.

Goldeyes shortstop Price Kendall had an uncharacteristically tough outing, committing two of Winnipeg's four errors and was replaced by David Narodowski in the eighth inning.

Amarillo right-fielder Tim Alberts, the AA batting leader (.487), stroked a solo home run over the centre-field wall to lift Amarillo to a 5-0 lead after three innings.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca