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Goldeyes Report

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Fish throw win away

Back-to-back errors Goldeyes' undoing

By: Randy Turner

Posted: 08/2/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Chris Salamida

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Chris Salamida

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- In the teeth of a summer-long drought in the midwest, the Winnipeg Goldeyes failed to make the most of a little Rainwater.

After rallying from a 3-0 deficit against the Kansas City T-Bones to take a 4-3 lead with a three-run eighth inning -- and chasing T-Bones starter Josh Rainwater in the process -- the Goldeyes unraveled with two critical unforced errors to suffer a 7-4 loss at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

Back-to-back throwing errors by Winnipeg third baseman Amos Ramon and relief pitcher Griffin Bailey opened the door for a four-run eighth inning for the T-Bones (39-32), who pulled to within two games of the Goldeyes in the American Association wild-card race.

"That was our downfall," said Goldeyes manager Rick Forney. "You can't play winning baseball like that. Errors change the game, and never for the good. We lost because of it."

Meanwhile, the Goldeyes (40-29) fell 4 1/2 games behind the division-leading Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (45-25), who crushed the St. Paul Saints 14-2 on Wednesday night. With the loss, the Saints (38-31) also remain two games back of the Goldeyes for the wild-card berth.

Winnipeg trailed 3-1 entering the top of the eighth, the visiting club's only run courtesy of a solo homer from Josh Mazzola in the seventh. In the eighth, however, Chris Roberson dropped a bunt single to lead off the inning. Both Yurendell de Caster and Luis Alen singled to load the bases, chasing Rainwater. Winnipeg's DH Kyle Day followed with a fielder's choice to score Roberson to pull Winnipeg within 3-2.

Mazzola followed with a bloop single to score both de Caster and Alen, his second and third RBI of the night.

Bailey (0-1) was credited with the loss, despite not allowing an earned run.

Errant

But the right-hander's errant pick-off attempt in the bottom of eight allowed the go-ahead run for the T-Bones, who padded their lead to 7-4 on a two-run double from Pat Trettel.

Earlier in the inning, with one out, Ramon's throwing error on a routine ground ball left runners on the corners. Coincidentally, it was Ramon who led the Goldeyes to a 4-1 victory in the opening game of the series on Tuesday night, with a home run and two RBI.

The Goldeyes managed to load the bases in the top of nine -- courtesy of two walks and a hit batter -- but Alen struck out to end the game. In all, the Goldeyes stranded 10 runners.

The threat made the earlier mistakes all the more frustrating for Forney.

"We didn't roll up and die," Forney said. "We had the winning runner at the plate in the ninth. The guys came back and gave us a chance. But you got to cash them (runners) in in this park."

Winnipeg starter Chris Salamida went 5 1/3 innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits and two walks. Salamida struck out four.

The rubber match of the three-game series (Winnipeg won 4-1 on Tuesday night) goes tonight.

randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 2, 2012 C2

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