Fish rally falls short vs. RailCats

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This article was published 18/07/2015 (4049 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IN an thrilling squeaker finish, Goldeyes slugger Josh Mazzola couldn’t quite close the chapter on the comeback the Goldeyes had all but written.

They were close, though. One hit sorta close. After trailing all game, the Fish entered the bottom of the ninth down 9-3, and still managed to force the game to rest on one final at-bat. Mazzola stepped up to the plate then, with one runner on base and two outs on the board; he struck out to leave that 9-8 final score.

It was maybe a more exciting end than the rest of the game deserved. The Goldeyes had dug themselves into a hole early, coughing up three unearned runs to the RailCats (two on a passed ball, one on an error) in just the first two innings; the visitors also picked up an earned run in the second to take a 4-1 lead.

If those defensive blunders hadn’t happened, the Fish would have led after three, bolstered by Casey Haerther’s first-inning RBI single and Luis Alen’s lead-off homer in the third. (Catcher Alen was stationed at first base, as manager Rick Forney has been moving guys around to try and tighten up the defence.)

The RailCats built on their lead with three runs in a sixth inning which finished off Goldeyes starter Coby Cowgill; he wrapped having allowed eight hits and three earned runs in 5.1 innings, and now holds a 4.85 ERA. Gary would score two more in the top of the ninth off reliever Jailen Peguero to boost their lead.

The Fish, to their credit, battled back with some fine attacks and aggressive base-stealing.

None were as exciting as the four-punch of runs in the ninth to tighten the game up to that final play. That sequence started with a two-run homer from designated hitter Nic Jackson, and continued with runs from Casio Grider and Haerther, who finished 3-for-5 with three RBI.

The Fish (22-30) still have a chance to split the series when they close it out at 6 p.m. today. After that, they’re heading out on the road for eight games, half against the tough St. Paul Saints and the other four against the Kansas City T-Bones, who are currently holding the wild-card spot.

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The Goldeyes got one key cog in their defence back on Friday, and had to let another one go.

The Goldeyes reactivated outfielder Nic Jackson, who had been injured since June 24, and put him in the line-up vs. Gary.

To make room for the return of Jackson, who manager Rick Forney considers one of the best centre-fielders in the league, the Goldeyes released another veteran outfielder, Jon Weber.

It’s not an easy cut, as Weber was leading the Goldeyes in batting average at .329, and also had collected 16 runs and 19 RBI.

 

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca