Fired up Fish down RailCats

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This article was published 19/08/2021 (1516 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A scorcher of a Thursday afternoon matinee matchup was on display for Goldeyes fans at Shaw Park as the Fish wrapped up their three-game series against the Gary SouthShore RailCats. Much like Wednesday evening, the Goldeyes did what they do best at bat and took over the game early to win a critical matchup 5-2 and improved to 43-38 on the season.

“We’re pretty much in playoff baseball every game right now, we have to win every series now to make this final push and so today was a must-win game,” said Fish leftfielder Logan Hill.

With the fans at their backs, the Fish are 7-1 at home in August to this point and starting pitcher Dylan Burns fed off the energy of the crowd.

Following some strong pitching from Burns at the top of the second, Goldeyes second baseman Kevin Lachance looked to give the Fish a hot start at bat and quickly hit a double to centre. On an attempt to steal third that looked like he was clearly out, the umpire ruled Lachance safe at base, and Railcats manager Greg Taggart was visibly upset.

Taggart made his way out to third base and expressed his frustration which got him thrown out of the game. After notching his first home run on the season  Wednesday, Goldeyes designated hitter Deon Stafford doubled to centre, bringing Lachance home to give the Fish an early 1-0 lead.

Stafford says these two victories are a standout moment for him and noted how the high energy his teammates share in the dugout is contagious.

“I think it’s our energy, when our energy is up we play well and when we come out firing and fired up we tend to put up some quick numbers on the scoreboard,” said Stafford.

This month has been Stafford’s first experience in Canada and rates Winnipeg a 10 out of 10 city.

“I couldn’t have picked a better place to play baseball,” said Stafford.

RailCats starting pitcher Jack Alkire got his first test in the bottom of the fourthas the Goldeyes would receive a boom at bat thanks to a few timely hits. Fish third baseman Raul Navarro, hit an impressive double to centre that would be quickly followed up a single hit by Kevin Lachance bringing Navarro home for a 2-0 lead. Lachance’s 38th RBI on the season would not disappoint Goldeyes faithful.

After surviving a long test at bat,  Hill hit a strong ball to left that made it over Waterfront Drive for his ninth home run on the season, bringing Lachance home for a comfortable 4-0 lead.

“It was good, I hit it in a big spot and that was a tough at bat, he threw some good pitches that I fouled off and then waited him out, he made a mistake and I was able to hit a home run,” said Hill.

Burns would only surrender one run on the day as RailCat Michael Woodworth scored on an infield single by M.J. Rookard in the top of the sixth inning making the score 4-1. Zac Ryan would come in for relief for Burns a few moments later.

The Goldeyes shut down their opponent defensively in the latter stages of the ball game and it was a change against Gary, now 33-51 to see the Fish playing with a lead for most of the game.

In the seventh, Goldeyes catcher Austin Rei would score on a sacrifice fly hit by Fish shortstop Wes Darvill increasing the Goldeyes cushion to 5-1.

However, in the eighth inning, Christian James who came in relief for Ryan for the Fish looked a little shaky on the mound as Hayden Schilling and Woodworth both hit singles rather quickly. Schilling would score on a base hit by Alec Olund shrinking the lead to 5-2.

Fish manager Rick Forney put the trust in closer Donnie Hart to wrap up the ball game and Hart sealed the affair with a victory for the Goldeyes.

Ron Arnst, the Goldeyes public address announcer has been calling games since the club’s founding in 1994, and deeply missed the Fish while they were away on the road. With their return to Shaw Park, Arnst noted how the team has put itself in place to be highly competitive the rest of this season and into next year.

“Now that I’ve seen them, I think it’s a better ball club than what their record shows,” said Arnst.

“There’s not a position where we have a defensive suspect so to speak. I like what I see, if we could start with this base and add a few people next year I think we’d have a contender. If you get the good pitching, you’ll be there in the end.”

The announcer believes Forney deserves a lot of credit for his behind the scenes role in keeping the club at the level they are at and was elated to return after a near two year hiatus in the broadcast booth.

“This for me was my taste of freedom or return to normalcy,” said Arnst.

“When I used to work, I’d go 8:30 to 5 and come to the games that started at 7. People used to ask me ‘don’t you get tired’, I said, ‘the ballpark doesn’t make me tired, the 9-5 stuff makes me tired’.”

Arnst says once he sets foot on the promenade of the ballpark, everything changes.

“I live for the games like last night,” said Arnst.

“When you get games like that, that’s what makes baseball. That’s what being at the ballpark is all about for me.”

Thursday afternoon’s attendance was 1,500 and the Goldeyes will continue their home stand at Shaw Park Friday evening against the Kane County Cougars at 6:30 p.m.

 

jbernacki@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @JosephBernacki