Goldeyes stage comeback to claim series

The Winnipeg Goldeyes experienced a bit of whiplash in this week’s series against the Sioux Falls Canaries.

After a solid 9-3 win in Game 1 of the series, followed by a lopsided 15-2 loss, it was hard to predict how the third game would go for the Goldeyes, who have had hot and cold bats all season.

Luckily for the Fish, Thursday night’s game would be categorized as hot, taking their third series win in a row with an entertaining 8-7 comeback victory at Blue Cross Park.

“I mean that’s baseball,” said Goldeyes centre-fielder Roby Enríquez. “Sometimes you’re gonna take L’s, but what really matters is whatever happened yesterday, you don’t live in the past, and you keep moving forward. We just flipped the page, and today we got a different result.”

Ramón Bramasco, first up to bat, set the tone early for the Fish with a hit on his first swing, later being brought in by first baseman Matthew Warkentin to give the Goldeyes a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

However, a run by the Canaries’ Hunter Clanin tied the game in the top of the third and got things going for the road team.

Matt Ruiz, who can’t seem to be stopped recently, then hit his third home run of the series, a three-run blast, giving Sioux Falls a 4-1 lead.

Unlike the second game, where the Goldeyes completely fell apart after opening the scoring, allowing nine runs in the fourth, this time the Fish didn’t let the game slip away so easily.

“It almost felt like yesterday all over again,” said Goldeyes manager Logan Watkins. “…Thankfully, it wasn’t nine runs. It was enough where we had a chance to come back. That’s what we need. We need to start winning games like that, the close ones.”

In the bottom of the third, a blast to left field by Tanner O’Tremb for a three-run home run tied the game at four apiece. But Canaries’ Josh Rehwaldt took back the lead at the top of the fifth, with his 11th home run of the season giving his squad a 5-4 lead.

Starting for the Goldeyes was southpaw Mitchell Lambson, allowing eight hits, five runs, and striking out two in five innings pitched before being replaced by Ryder Yakel, who, unfortunately for the Fish, allowed a home run almost immediately — with Scott Combs sending one over the left field fence to extend the lead to 6-4 for the Canaries.

The Fish tied the game at the bottom of the seventh thanks to RBI singles from Andy Armstrong and Enríquez.

“I feel great, I feel good, thank God,” said Enríquez. “I got good at-bats and helped the team to win. I’m here to just help the team to win… I’m glad I can contribute for the team to win some ball games.”

The Canaries didn’t lose their lead for long, with Combs’ second home run of the game making it 7-6 at the top of the eighth, but the Goldeyes didn’t flinch, with Jacson Robson stealing a base and advancing to third on a catcher error before being brought in by a Lynch single to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth.

Kewshawn Lynch ended up being the game hero, scoring the winning run, with right handed pitcher Trevor Brigden closing out the game for the Fish.

The Goldeyes continue their homestand Friday, opening a three-game series against the Sioux City Explorers. Game time is 7 p.m.

“Another division opponent, so we gotta win another series,” said Watkins. “…We haven’t really got on a winning streak, where we’ve won three, four, five, six in a row or anything like that. But you win enough series, eventually your records gonna look right.”

On Saturday, the Goldeyes (17-19) will host National Indigenous Peoples Day at Blue Cross Park, featuring live entertainment celebrating Indigenous culture, music, and dance. Manitoba Blue Cross is also donating 400 game tickets and food vouchers to individuals who have been displaced by wildfires.

zoe.pierce@freepress.mb.ca