WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (18-12) beat the Chicago Dogs 15-1 at Shaw Park on Thursday night.

Box Score

Goldeyes’ starting pitcher Mitchell Lambson (4-1) pitched a nine-inning complete game for a second consecutive start, while the 15 runs scored were a season-high for the club’s offence.

Lambson allowed one earned run on seven hits, walking two and striking out four.  Lambson recorded 27 outs on 123 pitches, and is the first pitcher in the American Association this season to throw multiple complete games.  It was Lambson’s fifth career complete game, all of which have come in a Goldeyes’ uniform.

“He competes, he doesn’t beat himself,” said Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney on Lambson.  “He throws strikes and lets the defence play behind him.  He can add and subtract as well as anyone in the league.”

Offensively, the Goldeyes hung four crooked numbers on the scoreboard, beginning with a three-run bottom of the first.  With two outs and no one on base, Willy Garcia extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a line drive single to right-centre.  After Dominic Ficociello reached on an error by third baseman Trey Vavra, James Harris smashed an RBI, infield single that scored Garcia.  A balk moved runners to second and third, and set up an RBI infield single from Reggie Abercrombie that resulted in an errant throw from shortstop Jordan Dean.  Both Ficociello and Harris scored on Abercrombie’s hit.

“It was a good night,” Forney said.  “Offence was really good today.  Great contributions from everybody.  We hit some balls hard on the ground.  Baserunning was good, and we put some pressure on their defence.”

Chicago scratched out its lone run in the top of the third when Tony Rosselli scored on a David Olmedo-Barrera groundball double play.

The Goldeyes answered back with three runs in the bottom half.  Ficociello walked leading off and stole second base.  Harris walked, and the Goldeyes stretched the lead to 4-1 two batters later when Wes Darvill singled sharply up the middle.  After Kyle Martin walked to load the bases, Kevin Garcia chopped a single down the left field line that scored Harris and Darvill.

In the bottom of the fourth, Abercrombie hit a two-out, two-run home run to left-centre that chased out Dogs’ starter DJ Snelten (3-1).  Winnipeg tacked on two more runs in the inning on back-to-back RBI singles from Kevin Garcia and Alex Perez.

Kevin Garcia doubled down the right field line leading off the home seventh.  Perez and Romanski drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs.  Willy Garcia followed with a grand slam home run to left, the Goldeyes’ first since July 12^th of last year.  On the very next pitch, Ficociello crushed a solo shot down the right field line that made it 15-1.

After seeing a combined 182 pitches in Tuesday’s series-opener, the Goldeyes’ offence worked the Dogs’ staff for 190 pitches on Thursday.

Snelten took the loss for the Dogs (17-12), allowing eight runs, five earned, on six hits in three and two-thirds innings.  Snelten walked six and struck out four.

The Goldeyes remain home and open a four-game series against the Milwaukee Milkmen at Shaw Park on Friday night at 7:05 p.m.  Ryan Johnson (1-2, 3.68) faces right-hander Angel Ventura (2-4, 2.66).  Advance tickets are on sale now by visiting www.goldeyes.com/tickets or by visiting the box office at Shaw Park.

For information on 2019 season tickets, 10-game mini packs, and group tickets, call the Goldeyes’ office at (204) 982-BASE, or visit the Goldeyes’ official website at www.goldeyes.com.

By Steve Schuster