Goldeyes’ loss to Wingnuts creates must-win situation for game 4

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This article was published 17/09/2017 (3184 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There have been no shortage of improbable comeback stories written on the field at Shaw Park this season. But the Winnipeg Goldeyes, typically the authors of these juicy page-turners, would love a re-write to the ending of Sunday’s thriller.

An early 3-0 lead and the opportunity to get within one win of back-to-back titles turned into a frustrating 5-3 defeat, thanks largely to an surprising turn of events involving a most unusual central character. Now the final chapter in the 2017 American Association championship can be penned Monday night as the Wichita Wingnuts look to close out the best-of-five series. The Goldeyes must win to force a fifth and deciding game that would be played Tuesday.

Winnipeg entered the eighth inning Sunday clinging to a 3-2 lead with Victor Capellan on the mound, who is not only their best reliever but as close to a sure thing as there is in this league. But Wichita strung together four hits and a walk — all with two outs — to score three runs and stun more than 4,000 fans in attendance.

“You tip your cap to them. They did a great job,” said Goldeyes manager Rick Forney. “They’re a good hitting team over there. It doesn’t matter how good your stuff is. When you’re facing good hitters you’re going to get penalized for your mistakes.”

It got off to such a promising start. David Rohm had a one-out single in the bottom of the first, Josh Romanski followed up with a walk, and then Reggie Abercrombie smoked a double to left field to quickly make it 1-0. Shawn Pleffner finished off a productive first inning with a fielder’s choice that scored Romanski.

Winnipeg went up 3-0 in the fourth after Wes Darvill’s two-out double was cashed in by a Mason Katz single. But that would be all the offence on the night. The Goldeyes didn’t get another hit the rest of the way. Their only baserunners from the fifth inning on were a pair of hit batters in the fifth and sixth innings.

“You’ve got to score more runs. We got two in the first and to only get one over the last eight innings against a good hitting team like that, you’re always at risk,” said Forney. “Their starting pitcher did a good job. He settled in, found his changeup in the third inning. Really that seemed to cause us fits.”

Winnipeg ace Kevin McGovern cruised through the first four innings, but Wichita finally got to him when Richard Prigatano hit a solo home run in the fifth. Wichita threatened again in the sixth, putting a pair of runners on base with two outs. TJ Mittelstaedt crushed a ball over the head of Romanski and looked to have tied the game. One run did score, but Romanski threw a perfect relay to Darvill who gunned down the second Wichita runner at the plate to keep the Goldeyes up 3-2.

McGovern went six strong innings, giving up two runs off six hits. He struck out seven. Capellan pitched a perfect seventh, retiring Wichita in order including a pair of strikeouts. He got another big whiff to begin the eight, then some defensive help when Pleffner made a diving stop of a ball hit down the line at first base for the second out.

Then it all fell apart.

Christian Stringer singled and stole second in an extremely close play the Goldeyes thought was the third out. Capellan walked the next batter, then watched as Brent Clevlen hit a bloop single into shallow right field to tie the game. Mittelstaedt knocked in the go-ahead run with a hard single. Then Matt Chavez followed up with another RBI single to make it 5-3.

Capellan’s night was over. Along with that of his teammates, who couldn’t mount the kind of rally they’ve pulled off so many times this season.

“That guy’s a warrior. That’s our guy right there. Everyone’s got the most confidence in him. It’s tough. He made good pitches and he’s going to be back in there tomorrow,” Darvill said of Capellan, who made a league-leading 50 appearances this season with a team-best 1.25 ERA.

Pleffner said Wichita pitcher Jordan Cooper was throwing plenty of soft “junk” that the Goldeyes were unable to get a handle on. Cooper entered the game with a 2-0 record and 2.08 ERA in four career starts against the Goldeyes.

“We’re just out in front, we’re popping stuff up, we’re not working the pitching and the counts,” said Pleffner, who is 1-for-12 in the finals after leading the league in batting average this season. Despite the struggles, the big first baseman believes they can rebound.

“This team, all year, we’ve always battled against. Being down two-one, the vibe in the clubhouse is still up,” said Pleffner, who didn’t hesitate when asked what adjustments need to be made.

“We come out swinging,” he said. “I think everybody has a little fire under their butt”

Charle Rosario gets the ball for Winnipeg on Monday, looking to rebound from a tough game one start in which he was chased after just two innings. It was the lone blemish on an otherwise sparkling run since joining the Goldeyes in August following a trade. Wichita turns to Eddie Medina (9-3, 3.09 ERA during the regular-season)

Forney said the Goldeyes are still confident considering they were in this exact position one year ago, then rattled off wins in game four and game five to beat Wichita for the championship. The only difference this season is the final games are in Winnipeg.

“If this was easy it wouldn’t be fun,” said Forney.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca