Goldeyes’ big inning sets up do-or-die Game 3 against Canaries

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This article was published 06/09/2024 (421 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Turns out some home cooking — mixed with a healthy dose of desperation — was just what the Winnipeg Goldeyes needed to keep their season alive.

A 7-3 come-from-behind victory on Friday night over the Sioux Falls Canaries in front of 4,700 fans levels the best-of-three playoff series at 1-1 and sets the stage for a winner-take-all Game 3 on Saturday evening, which will also go down at Blue Cross Park.

After dropping the opener on Wednesday night in South Dakota by a 5-0 score, the Fish didn’t exactly come flying out of the gate in this elimination contest. The Canaries struck for a run in the top of the first inning, and could have added a few more as they ultimately left the bases loaded against Goldeyes starter Landon Bourassa.

Winnipeg tied it up in the bottom of the second as designated hitter Edwin Arroyo singled home catcher Rob Emery. After 11 scoreless innings to start the post-season, the Goldeyes were finally on the board.

The tie didn’t last long, however, as Josh Rehwaldt and Jabari Henry hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the third to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.

Bourassa ultimately lasted just three-and-two-thirds innings, giving way to fellow Canadian Travis Seabrooke.

The turning point of the game — and perhaps the series — came in the sixth, as the Canaries opened the frame with two consecutive singles against Seabrooke and looked like they might break this one wide open. Relief pitcher Nick Trogrlic-Iverson was called upon to put out the fire, and he responded by striking out the next three batters to keep his club in it.

The Goldeyes dormant bats finally came alive in the bottom of the inning, as Dayson Croes led off with a single and outfielder Max Murphy — the team’s home run and RBI leader — crushed a meaty fastball over the wall in dead centre to tie the game 3-3.

Murphy, one of the best hitters in American Association history, couldn’t have picked a better time to get his first hit of the series.

With the crowd suddenly buzzing, the Goldeyes kept coming. Miles Simington, batting in the clean-up slot, got his first knock of the series and chased starting pitcher Ty Culbreth from the game. Culbreth, who lead the league with 12 regular-season wins, had been in full control to that point.

Outfielder Roby Enriquez greeted reliever Cole LaLonde with a one-out single that advanced Simington to third. That set the stage for Arroyo, who was looking to elevate a ball and at least score his teammate with a sacrifice fly.

He did that — and then some — jumping all over a pitch left in the heart of the plate for a three-run blast.

Arroyo, 33, was limited to 27 regular-season games as a result of injury, batting .213 with one home run and 13 RBI. He previously played for new Goldeyes manager Logan Watkins during the 2022 season in Cleburne, who no doubt loved what he saw from the veteran slugger at a crucial point on Friday.

Winnipeg added an insurance run in the eighth as Enriquez doubled to score Emery from first base. Winnipegger Ben Onyshko was spotless out of the bullpen, recording five outs, and closer Joey Steele worked a perfect ninth to keep the Canaries from taking flight.

Winnipeg finished the season on top of the West Division with a 56-43 record. Their reward was getting to pick their first-round opponent. Curiously, they opted for second-place Sioux Falls (55-44).

Saturday’s winner will advance to the West Final against either the third-place Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks or fourth-place Sioux City Explorers, who are also headed to a Game 3 that will be held at the same time just a few hours down the road in North Dakota.

The next series is also a best-of-three and begins Monday at the home of the lower-seed (either Fargo-Moorhead or Sioux City), then shifts to the higher seed for Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) next Wednesday and Thursday.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg