Goldeyes blow golden opportunity

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This article was published 11/09/2024 (416 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes were so close they could taste it. Just four outs away, in fact.

An inability to build on an early lead against a desperate opponent proved costly on Wednesday night as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks rallied late for a 5-3 victory at Blue Cross Park in front of 4,745 spectators.

That evens up the best-of-three West Division Final and forces a winner-take-all contest on Thursday at the downtown diamond, with first pitch happening at 6:30 p.m.

At stake is a trip to the American Association Final, a best-of-five series which starts Saturday. The Kane County Cougars, who play out Geneva, Ill., are the East Division champions after sweeping their series against the Chicago Dogs.

Winnipeg had a golden chance to join them after taking Monday’s opener in North Dakota by a 1o-1 score and then quickly jumping ahead 3-0 in the third inning of this one.

Second-baseman Jake McMurray, hitting in the No. 9 spot, led off the frame with a walk then was joined on the base paths by teammate Ramon Bramasco after he drew a one-out free pass. Outfielder Miles Simington followed up with a sharp single to load the bases for veteran Max Murphy, who was stuck in a one-for-16 rut through four playoff games.

A passed ball allowed McMurray to scurry home from third base, and then Murphy picked a perfect time to get his second post-season hit as his single cashed in Bramasco and Simington.

The Goldeyes had all the momentum. The RedHawks were on the ropes.

Give credit to the visitors, who looked dangerous right off the hop despite the deficit. They had seven hits and a walk through the first four innings but nothing to show for it.

Winnipeg’s stellar defence had a say in that. Murphy, for example, gunned out RedHawks outfielder Kona Quiggle as he tried to stretch a single into a double in the third inning. Murphy fielded the ball perfectly off the right-field wall and threw a dart to McMurray for the tag.

With runners at the corners and just one out later in the inning, Bramasco made an excellent play to field a scorching grounder and turn two and escape the jam.

In the fourth, Fargo-Moorhead got runners on second and third with one out, which was the end of the night for Goldeyes starter Zac Reininger. Canadian hurler Travis Seabrooke was called upon to put out the fire as he got Quiggle to pop up and end the threat.

The RedHawks finally got on the board in the fifth, as a one-out walk was doubled home by outfielder Ismael Alcantara. The lead was cut to 3-2 in the sixth as second baseman Peter Brookshaw took relief pitcher Nick Trogrlic-Iverson over the wall with a solo shot.

Suddenly, the RedHawks had all the momentum. The Goldeyes were hanging on.

Fargo-Moorhead threatened again in the seventh, opening the inning with a single and a walk, but Winnipeg’s Ben Onyshko quickly negated it thanks to a ground ball, a strike out and a fly out.

The Goldeyes could have used some insurance at some point along the way, and they looked poised to add some in the bottom of the seventh as a bunt single, walk and hit batter loaded the bags with two outs. However, first baseman Roby Enriquez struck out to end the inning.

That opened the door for Fargo-Moorhead in the eighth. With a runner on second and two outs, Quiggle came through with a clutch hit against relief pitcher Thomas Ponticelli to tie it up. Quiggle then stole second and scored on catcher Juan Fernandez’s bloop single to right.

The comeback was complete. The collapse, too.

Winnipeg got the tying run to second in the bottom of the eight courtesy of Evan Alexander’s double, but RedHawks reliever Alex DuBord got the next two batters without issue.

Another walk to lead off the ninth — the sixth base-on-balls issued by Winnipeg pitching, this time by closer Joey Steele — came back to bite the Goldeyes as third baseman Michael Hallquist singled him home to make it 5-3.

RedHawks starter Colten Davis was given the hook after Winnipeg’s big third inning, but Fargo-Moorhead’s bullpen bailed him out big time.

After Parker Harm was flawless through four frames, DuBord worked the final two scoreless innings. Those two combined to give up five hits, striking out seven and surrendering no walks.

Meanwhile, Goldeyes manager Logan Watkins used seven pitchers in the game, which could play a factor on Thursday.

Expect either Landon Bourassa or Mitch Lambson to get the start, with the other likely to pitch at some point as well. They were the Game 2 and Game 3 starters in the opening round series against the Sioux Falls Canaries, with the Goldeyes winning both games.

The loss may have been extra costly for the Fish, as Bramasco excited the game in the fifth inning with an apparent injury shortly after a leadoff double. He’s one of their best hitters and was two-for-two on the night, and eight-for-20 so far in the post-season. The light-hitting Andy Armstrong took his spot in the lineup, with Keshawn Lynch pinch-hitting later in the game.

This is the 12th time the Goldeyes and RedHawks have met in the playoffs, and it’s fitting a battle between the two fierce rivals will come down to one game. They were separated by three wins this year — Winnipeg finished first in the division at 56-33, while Fargo-Moorhead finished third at 53-47 despite going 7-5 against the Fish head-to-head.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg