FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (June 29, 2017)
Contact: Jared Shlensky
[email protected]
Article written by Austin Anderson, Broadcast/Media Relations Assistant

Box Score

WINNIPEG, MB — The Gary SouthShore RailCats (22-18) defeated the Winnipeg Goldeyes (19-20) by a score of 8-7 in 11 innings on Thursday. The RailCats have now won three straight series.

The RailCats manufactured the go-ahead run via a Cameron Newell sacrifice fly that scored Chase Harris. Harris reached base on a one-out double and then stole third to put him in position to score on the sacrifice fly in the top of the 11th.

The RailCats got on the board first in the top half of the first despite recording a hit. Newell was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Cheky Jr. before Frank Martinez hit a sacrifice fly to center to give Gary the 1-0 lead.

In the top half of the second, the RailCats extended their lead. John Holland hit an RBI single to right field scoring Jeff Sneed. Cheky Jr. hit a two-run RBI single to center field, which scored both Ryan Fitzgerald and John Holland. Later in the inning, Martinez hit a two-run double that scored both Cheky Jr. and Harris to give the RailCats an early 6-0 lead.

Winnipeg answered with a run of its own in the bottom half of the second when David Bergin hit a solo shot. The home run was his 10th of the year and his fourth extra-base hit of the series.

The Goldeyes cut the deficit significantly in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Reggie Abercrombie plated David Rohn with a single to left field to make the score 6-2. Shawn Pleffner hit an RBI double to score Josh Romanski to cut the deficit to three. Then Wes Darvill hit a two-run double that scored Abercrombie and Pleffner to make the score 6-5.

The RailCats added an insurance run in the top half  of the seventh when Cheky Jr. hit a two-out single to center field scoring Cameron Newell to give the RailCats the 7-5 lead.

Winnipeg’s Mason Katz answered with a solo home run off the left field foul pole to make the score 7-6. Former RailCat Romanski tied the game at 7-7 with a solo home run to right field in the bottom half of the eighth.

Cheky Jr., along with Martinez, led all RailCats hitters with three RBIs. Westin Wuethrich started his third game of the season with the RailCats on Thursday. He gave up five earned runs, on six hits, walked one, and struck out one in 3.1 innings of work. Carlos Diaz (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings to secure the victory for the RailCats.

Goldeyes starter Zack Dodson surrendered seven earned runs, on six hits, walked two, and struck out five in 6.2 total innings. Winnipeg’s Brandon Quintero (0-1) surrendered the go-ahead run in the eleventh.
 
The RailCats continue their nine-game, 10-day road trip on Friday in Minnesota against the St. Paul Saints. The reigning American Association Pitcher of the Week Braulio Torres-Perez (4-0, 3.56) gets the ball for Gary while St. Paul has yet to announce their starter. First pitch in the series opener from CHS Field is at 7:05 p.m.
 
Gary returns home to U.S. Steel Yard on Monday, July 3rd for the start of a seven-game homestand. Monday’s game vs. Fargo-Moorhead is at 7:10 p.m. and is another MetroPCS Monday. Monday’s series opener against the RedHawks is also the inaugural Fourth of Juluau Pig Roast, presented by Berey Bros., and features Fireworks and Barefoot Hawaiian Fire Dancers.
  
Jared Shlensky and Austin Anderson bring you all 100 RailCats games this season on WEFM (95.9FM) and online at railcatsbaseball.com. Fans can purchase tickets for RailCats home games by calling (219) 882-BALL or online at railcatsbaseball.com. The RailCats box office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.