Winnipeg Goldeyes: July 30, 2011 Highlights

One big inning was all the St. Paul Saints needed.

With three runs in the top of the sixth, the Saints had all they needed as St. Paul came from behind to beat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 4-2 in front of 5,488 spectators at Shaw Park on Saturday night.

With the win, the 42-30 Saints pulled to within one game of the 43-29 Goldeyes in the race for first in the American Association's North Division. The final game of this three-game series between the top two teams in the North will go Sunday afternoon at 1:30 in downtown Winnipeg.

"It wasn't a bad game, we just fell apart with two outs in the sixth inning," said Goldeyes manager Rick Forney. "Ian (reliever Thomas) struggled with his command and we made an error that hurt us, but pitching didn't cost us this game. It was an error in the outfield and a lack of situational hitting. We loaded the bases in the seventh and eighth innings and couldn't get a hit when we needed it."

St. Paul had a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth when Winnipeg struck for two runs. Lou Ott led off with a walk and then Justin Justice singled. Price Kendall was safe on a bunt single to load the bases and then Kody Kaiser hit a sacrifice fly to deep centrefield to score Ott from third. Meanwhile, both Justice and Kendall tagged and moved up 90 feet, but the Saints thought Kendall left early from first and proceeded to appeal the play. But pitcher Alberto Rolon's throw to first went over the head of first baseman Jason Cooper and Justice scored easily from third. The appeal play was wasted and Winnipeg had a 2-1 lead.

However, in the top of the sixth, the Saints scored three runs, one each on RBI singles by Ronnie Bourquin and Jonathan van Every and one on an error by Justice who tried to throw home from right field and threw the ball all the way to the backstop.

The Saints finished with four runs on seven hits while the Goldeyes scored two runs on nine hits. However, all nine hits were singles as the Fish loaded the bases in both the seventh and eighth innings and failed to score. In the end, the Goldeyes stranded 12 runners.

St. Paul starter Alberto Rolon (7-3, 3.92 ERA) got the win while Goldeyes reliever Ian Thomas (6-3, 1.98 ERA) suffered the loss. Forney will have to wait at least one more day to record his 300th victory as the Goldeyes manager.

That day could be Sunday as Game 3 of this three-game series can be heard live at 1:30 p.m. on Sports Radio 1290 with Paul Edmonds, beginning with 55 with Forney at Noon.

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• Winnipeg Goldeyes
• Saint Paul Saints
• St. Paul Saints
• American Association
• Minor League Baseball
• Shaw Park
• Independent Baseball
• Winnipeg
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