Saltdogs put a halt to Goldeyes' winning streak

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Winnipeg Goldeyes left fielder Ridge Carpenter catches a fly ball at the wall during an afternoon game against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Shaw Park Wednesday. (WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

The Winnipeg Goldeyes saw their season-high winning streak stopped at six games on Wednesday afternoon with a 5-2 loss to the Lincoln Saltdogs before a crowd of 7,015 of mostly local school children at Shaw Park.

Though the Goldeyes (18-7) were facing a five-run deficit when they scored a pair of runs in the ninth inning, they left bases loaded after Winnipeg shortstop David Narodowski struck out to end the game. The Lincoln Saltdogs (12-15) avoided the series sweep as the Goldeyes had won the first two games of the three-game series 4-0 on Monday and 10-6 on Tuesday.

"Unfortunately if we’d been able to cash our chips in a little bit early, it could have been a really interesting ninth inning," said Goldeyes manager Rick Forney. "It was exciting for all the people who got to stay around for the whole nine innings to see us have a chance to win. I would have loved to see David walk them off right there."

In Wednesday's game, the Saltdogs got eight scoreless innings from starting pitcher Ryan Sheldon who allowed only six hits while reliever P.J. Zocchi recorded the save. Goldeyes starter Ace Walker (3-1) took the loss allowing 12 hits and five runs while striking out one.

Lincoln took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning followed by one run in the sixth inning when an RBI single by Lincoln catcher A.J. Miller scored third baseman Jared McDonald. McDonald, who hit a pair of doubles on the day, then hit a two-RBI single off Walker in the seventh for the 5-0 lead.

The Goldeyes were led by catcher Kyle Day who had three hits, including a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning to score infielder Yurendell de Caster. Luis Alen, usually the catcher but who served as the designated hitter, scored Winnipeg's second run on a Saltdogs error.

The Goldeyes departed right after the game for a seven-game road trip including a four-game stop in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday through Sunday and three in Sioux Falls, S.D. on June 18-20.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca