Tide starting to turn for the Fish

The Winnipeg Goldeyes are going streaking.

A 9-2 victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen on Sunday afternoon at Blue Cross Park makes it three wins in a row for the Fish — and four of the last five — as an early-season slump quickly fades into the distance.

“I’m not saying I was hitting the panic button, but you don’t want to dig a hole,” Goldeyes manager Logan Watkins told the Free Press of his club’s 0-4 start, which is now more palatable at 4-5.

“I knew we had good baseball players in here. That wasn’t a question. It was about getting going.”

Winnipeg certainly did that in sweeping Milwaukee — who arrived in town with a league-best 5-1 record — by a combined total of 23-7. It was quite the reversal from a week ago in Wisconsin, where the Milkmen beat the Goldeyes three straight times to begin the 100-game campaign.

“Sometimes it just takes one game and then the ball gets rolling in the right direction and guys’ confidence gets a little bit amped up,” said Watkins.

“They feel better about themselves, they start seeing their numbers on the screen looking better. I thought we pitched pretty well, and obviously swung the bats a lot better.”

A familiar face stepped up in that department. Veteran outfielder Max Murphy belted his first home-run of the year — a three-run shot in the fourth inning — to blow the game wide-open.

“It’s awesome. That’s exactly what we needed after getting swept there by them,” said Murphy, who added to his franchise record by going deep for the 103rd time.

What changed?

“I knew we had good baseball players in here. That wasn’t a question. It was about getting going.”

“Beginning of the season, our pitchers thought we could just come out and throw fastballs by everyone and our hitters thought we’d get only fastballs down the middle,” said Murphy.

“We adjusted fast, because that’s not the way the game is played.”

Murphy wasn’t the only one swinging a hot bat Sunday.

First baseman Roby Enriquez notched his first homer of the season, a two-run shot in the first inning. Catcher Kevin Garcia went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and an RBI while second baseman Adam Hall (triple, single) and left fielder Jiandido Tromp (double, single) also had multi-hit games.

Centrefielder Noah Marcelo had a run-scoring double to give him a team-leading seven RBI, while third baseman Keshawn Lynch also drove in a run.

“It’s a long lineup,” said Murphy. “We’ve got guys going at the end of the lineup, beginning of the lineup, middle. It’s much different than last year. We can do it from any part of the lineup.”

“Sometimes it just takes one game and then the ball gets rolling in the right direction and guys’ confidence gets a little bit amped up.”

Murphy’s big day brought him one step closer to another major milestone. The 33-year-old is now just two RBIs behind retired fan favourite Reggie Abercrombie for both the Goldeyes and the American Association record.

“It’s so close. Just keep playing good baseball and let those sorts of things come,” he said.

While the offensive eruption was a most welcome development, don’t overlook the value of quality pitching. Winnipeg got that in spades Sunday from starter Luke Boyd, who cruised through six scoreless innings to record the win. He scattered five hits and struck out six.

“He obviously threw really well,” said Watkins.

“A pretty trustworthy guy. I kind of know what kind of start we’re going to get out of him every time he gets the ball. He’s not going to walk a ton of guys, he’s not going to get hit a ton. When he’s got his slider, change-up and cutter working he can get some strikeouts. He’s good.”

The only blip came from rookie Canadian righty Chas Wheatley, who just signed with the team on Saturday and made his professional debut in the seventh inning — giving up a single, hitting a batter and then issuing two straight walks before he was pulled. Both Milwaukee runs were charged against him.

“I’m definitely happy that what I kind of envisioned of our team going into the season is starting to show itself a little bit.”

The 24-year-old from Edmonton, who just finished up his collegiate career with Iowa, was likely battling some nerves.

Weston Lombard, Arij Fransen and Eli Saul each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

“I’m definitely happy that what I kind of envisioned of our team going into the season is starting to show itself a little bit,” said Watkins.

It helps that the team is getting a bit healthier, too. Starter James Bradwell, who threw a nine-inning no-hitter last season, made his debut on Saturday night by pitching one inning. He’s working his way back from an off-season injury and will slowly be built up.

The Goldeyes are without two relievers in Willian Suarez and James Colyer, which led to the signing of Wheatley. They are expected to miss at least another week, perhaps longer.

Winnipeg now hits the road for a six-game trip starting Tuesday night which includes stops in Gary, Ind. and Chicago. They’re back in town on June 1 for the start of a season-long 10-game homestand.

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