Winnipeg, Manitoba – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (17-15) rode a five-run sixth inning to an 8-7 victory over the Sioux City Explorers (14-17) Friday night. Sioux City’s Jake Ortega had four hits while John Nogowski and Osvaldo Martinez each had three, but it wasn’t enough as the Goldeyes mounted their impressive comeback against the Explorers depleted squad.
The X’s had an unusual starting lineup for the game as several everyday players were unavailable. The lineup included Austin Drury, one of Sioux City’s starting pitchers, playing in right field along with Amos Ramon, a new signing who lived in Winnipeg.
John Nogowski got the Explorers started on the right foot with a two-run shot to left field in the top of the first inning off Winnipeg starter Zac Reininger, plating Daniel Lingua and giving the X’s a 2-0 lead. The X’s continued to rally in the inning, getting another run when Sioux City’s Jake Ortega sent home Osvaldo Martinez on an RBI single, making it 3-0 Explorers.
The Goldeyes loaded the bases to start the bottom of the second inning and after getting one out, Winnipeg’s Kevin Garcia knocked an RBI double to right field off Sioux City starter Joey Murray, sending around Miles Simington and Keshawn Lynch to cut the X’s lead to 3-2.
In the top of the third, Sioux City’s Drury notched his first career hit and RBI on an infield single off Winnipeg’s Reininger with the bases loaded, sending around Zac Vooletich and extending the lead to 4-2.
The X’s offense continued rolling in the top of the fourth when Sioux City’s Nogowski crossed home on a Vooletich grounder, making it a 5-2 game. Vooletich came around to score after that on an RBI single from Sioux City’s Jake Ortega, adding to the now 6-2 Explorers advantage.
Brandon Brosher relieved Sioux City’s Murray in the bottom of the fifth after the Goldeyes loaded the bases with nobody out, and Keshawn Lynch drew a walk, pushing Ramon Bramasco home and cutting the X’s lead to 6-3.
The Explorers quickly regained the four-run lead in the top of the sixth when Sioux City’s Osvaldo Martinez picked up an RBI single off Winnipeg’s Ryder Yakel, sending home Nogowski for his third run of the game and making it 7-3 X’s.
Despite the deficit, the Goldeyes continued to fight, starting with a two-RBI double from Winnipeg’s Dayson Croes off Sioux City’s Brosher in the bottom of the sixth, waving around Kevin Garcia and Andy Armstrong, cutting the Explorers lead to 7-5. The next plate appearance, Winnipeg’s Rob Emery got an RBI of his own on a single to center field, scoring Ramon Bramasco and making it 7-6.
Sioux City’s Nate Gercken relieved Brosher after that and Winnipeg’s Max Murphy provided the game-tying RBI on a sac fly to center field, allowing Dayson Croes to cross and knotting it 7-7. The Goldeyes continued the inning with an RBI single from Winnipeg’s Simington, pushing home Emery and giving the Goldeyes an 8-7 lead.
Neither team scored in the seventh or eighth and Winnipeg’s Justin Courtney came in to close it down in the ninth, stranding the go-ahead run on second base, and finishing his fifth save of the season.
The Explorers continue the six-game road trip with game two of a three game series against the Winnipeg Goldeyes Saturday night June 15 with a first pitch set for 6:00 p.m.
