Fish clinch second place in Northern League

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This article was published 30/08/2009 (5933 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 For the ninth time in 13 years, the Winnipeg Goldeyes will play the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in the Northern League playoffs.

 On Sunday, the Fish clinched second place in the Northern League regular season standings and a playoff date with the third place RedHawks, beginning this Wednesday in Fargo.

 The Goldeyes backed their way into second place, clinching it despite a 3-2 loss to the Schaumburg Flyers at Canwest Park Sunday afternoon.

 While Winnipeg was losing to Schaumburg, the Gary SouthShore Railcats were winning, dropping Fargo 6-3 in Gary. Gary clinched the regular season title with the win over Fargo. The Fargo loss, meanwhile, meant the RedHawks will finish the regular season today in third place, while Winnipeg finishes second.

 Gary will now play the fourth place Kansas City T-Bones in the opening round of the playoffs. That series opens in Kansas City on Wednesday, before shifting to Gary for the final three games beginning Friday.

 The Goldeyes will play in Fargo Wednesday and Thursday before returning home for Game 3 on Friday. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will also be at Canwest Park Saturday and Sunday respectively.

 “I think we’ll be ready,” said Goldeyes shortstop Adam Frost. “Our bats are going to get hot, I’m not worried about that.”

 The Fish bats were anything but hot Sunday afternoon, as the vaunted Goldeyes offense mustered just six hits and the Fish bullpen — yet again — squandered some solid starting pitching from Andrew Cruse, who gave up just four hits and a run through six innings.

 The Goldeyes carried a 2-1 lead into the ninth inning, but came apart when closer Chris Homer was struck in the back when Winnipeg catcher Brent Metheny tried to nail a Schaumburg runner stealing second and struck his pitcher with the ball instead.

 Homer left the game with soreness and reliever Mark Michael couldn’t get the job done, giving up the tying and winning runs in rapid succession.

 Goldeyes manager Rick Forney said Homer should be fine for the playoffs, but he wondered a bit about his offense.

 “We’ve got to get the bats going out there,” Forney said.