By Sam Brief, Chicago Dogs

ROSEMONT, Ill. – So much for a happy return home.

Coming off the biggest series win of the season, the Chicago Dogs were overpowered on both sides of the ball by the Winnipeg Goldeyes to lose, 12-2.

Four different Goldeyes collected two or more RBI, headlined by right fielder Max Murphy. The long-time American Association bat hammered a home run and ended 2-for-5 with three RBI. First baseman David Washington knocked a home run as well, his 16th of the year. Chicago allowed just 12 runs in their series against Fargo-Moorhead and Winnipeg matched that total in just six innings.

Chicago starter A.J. Kullman only lasted 1.1 innings and surrendered five runs off of six hits and two walks. The 6-foot-8 righty got beat up in the first inning from Murphy’s home run and the game quickly unraveled. Johnathon Tripp made solid work for the next 2.2 frames, but a seven run sixth inning from the Goldeyes put the game away.

Winnipeg was already up 2-0 after the first inning, but kept it coming with four straight hits allowed. With runners on second and third, catcher Hidekel Gonzalez hammered a double that scored both runs and brought it to a 4-0 score. Kullman walked the next two batters and that ended his night. He would be attributed with a fifth run off a sacrifice fly, but Tripp did his best to stop the bleeding.

Center fielder Anfernee Grier got the Dogs on the board with a RBI double in the bottom of the second. The former MLB first-round pick finished 2-for-4 and has a hit in five of his past six games since coming back from injury.

The Dogs kept inching towards a comeback with a Grant Kay solo shot in the third. Despite the developing offense, there was not a consistent baserunner presence to put much pressure on Winnipeg starter Freisis Adames. The Dominican Republic native finished with five innings pitched, allowed two runs and struck out seven.

Any momentum Chicago picked up vanished in the sixth. Righty Paul Schwendel entered for his second inning of relief, but was caught giving up a single, triple and a walk. Southpaw Tanner Lawson entered the game to maintain a chance of staying in the game, but again the Goldeye bats were too much. In two-thirds of an inning, Lawson surrendered two doubles and a home run for five total hits and four runs allowed. Schwendel was attributed with three runs allowed.

The score sat at 12-2 the remainder of the way and Chicago drops the series opener to go back to .500 against winning clubs at 16-16. Fortunately for manager Butch Hobson, he will turn the ball to Jordan Kipper, who has been masterful during his second stint in Chicago. The righty holds a 5-2 record, 2.82 ERA and just nine walks in 44.2 innings.