WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes defeated the Gary SouthShore RailCats 7-3 at Shaw Park Sunday afternoon to win their first series in over two weeks.

Box Score

Winnipeg (15-24) opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning when centre fielder Javeyan Williams drove in catcher Jackson Smith with a single up the middle that made it 1-0.

Gary SouthShore (16-25) tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth on a broken bat single to centre field by right fielder LG Castillo that scored shortstop Daniel Lingua.

The Goldeyes scored twice in their half of the fourth inning, with both runs coming in as the result of RailCats errors. First left fielder Najee Gaskins crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice off the bat of second baseman Brynn Martinez when Gary SouthShore pitcher Harrison Francis’ throw home was wide. Then a fielder’s choice by shortstop Keith Torres brought Williams in on a play in which RailCats’ catcher Paul Mondesi dropped the baseball before applying the tag.

Winnipeg added two more in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-1 lead. Martinez singled to right field to bring in Gaskins, then scored himself on third baseman Dayson Croes’ double to left-centre field.

The RailCats quickly got both of those runs back, however. In the top of the seventh inning left fielder Francisco Del Valle singled to centre field to drive in Castillo. Then designated hitter Will Decker doubled off the wall in the right field corner to score Del Valle and make it 5-3 Goldeyes.

In the bottom of the eighth ainning Goldeyes right fielder Max Murphy belted a two-run home run that cleared the Picnic Park in beyond the right field fence. It was his team leading tenth of the season and it gives him 35 runs batted in – also a team high.

Starter Joey Matulovich (1-4) earned his first American Association win, allowing one run on four hits over six innings of work. He struck out six and walked two.

Francis (2-3) was charged with the loss. He surrendered three runs – one earned – on three hits in four innings.

Prior to the game the club announced left-handed pitcher Travis Seabrooke had been activated. Seabrooke, along with Landen Bourassa and Brandon Marklund, had been placed on the Inactive List while they represented Canada at the WBSC Americas Pan Am Games Qualifier in Argentina. To make room on the roster, infielder Sherman Graves cleared waivers and was released.

The Goldeyes now travel to Lincoln, Nebraska where they will open a four-game series with the Saltdogs at Haymarket Park on Monday evening. Seabrooke (2-1, 5.17 ERA) will face right-hander Zach Keenan (2-0, 3.89 ERA) in the opener at 7:05 p.m. All the action can be heard on CJNU 93.7 FM and online at cjnu.ca. Doug Greenwald will have the pre-game show starting at 6:30.

Winnipeg returns home to Shaw Park Friday, July 7 when they will host the Milwaukee Milkmen.

For information on season tickets, group outings, Skysuite rentals, patio bookings, and 10-game mini packs, visit the team’s official website Goldeyes.com.