David Bergin, Andrew Sohn Power Goldeyes to 3-2 Victory
A night after hitting two home runs in an 8-5 loss to the St. Paul Saints, David Bergin clubbed his eighth homer of the year to help lead the Winnipeg Goldeyes to a 3-2 victory. Andrew Sohn was a perfect 4-4 with his second home run of the season and Zach Nuding went 7-innings, allowing only two unearned runs in the win.
After a scoreless first, the Saints took the lead in the top of the second. Tony Thomas started out the inning by drawing a walk and Tim Colwell followed by reaching on a fielder’s choice when the second baseman dropped the ball on the relay throw, allowing both runners to be safe. Maxx Garrett laid down a bunt to put both runners into scoring position, and Thomas scored on a sacrifice fly. An error by the pitcher allowed Colwell to score to make it 2-0.
John Straka had kept the Goldeyes off the board through the first two innings, but Winnipeg would cut the deficit in half in the third. With one down, Sohn lined a double into right field and moved to third on a ground out. That brought David Bergin to the plate, who singled up the middle to make it 2-1.
It would stay that way until the fifth when Winnipeg would take the lead. With one down, Straka got ahead of Sohn quickly 0-2, but then threw three consecutive balls. With the count now full, Sohn turned on a Straka offering and drilled it for his second home run of the season. Two batters later, Straka fell behind Bergin 3-1, who then hit his eighth homer of the year and third of the series to give the Goldeyes their first lead of the game.
After giving up the two runs in the second, Nuding did not allow another hit until the seventh inning. He was stymieing the Saints offense. Zach Nuding (2-3) would leave after pitching 7.1-innings. He struck out 3, while allowing 2-hits, 5-walks, and 2-unearned runs.
Victor Capellan came on with one out in the eighth and allow to hit before Ryan Chaffee came into the game. Chaffee struck out Colwell to end the eighth, then retired St. Paul in order in the ninth for his ninth save of the season, tops in the American Association.
Andrew Sohn had a perfect night, going 4-4 with 2-runs and an RBI. David Bergin was 2-4 with a run and 2-RBI. The Saints were only able to muster 3-hits on the evening.
The rubber match of the series is tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
By Robert Pannier
