CLEBURNE, TX – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (5-1) beat the Cleburne Railroaders 7-3 at The Depot at Cleburne Station on Tuesday night.

Box Score

Kevin Lachance led off the game with a line drive home run to left field.  Two batters later, Willy Garcia hit a solo homer to right-centre on an 0-2 count that made it 2-0 Winnipeg.

In the top of the second, Alex Perez came back from an 0-2 count to draw an eight-pitch leadoff walk.  Adrian Marin doubled down the left field line on a 1-2 count to send Perez to third.  Kevin Garcia, also behind 0-2, ripped a three-run home run to right that opened up a 5-0 lead.

The Railroaders (3-3) chipped away in the third.  With second and third and two outs, Angel Rosa hit a bloop single to centre that scored Nick Rotola and Zach Nehrir.

The Goldeyes re-extended the lead in the fifth.  Willy Garcia walked leading off and advanced to second on a Reggie Abercrombie line drive single to centre.  Two batters later, James Harris walked to load the bases, and the Goldeyes made it 6-2 when Perez hit a sacrifice fly to deep left-centre.  Harris raced home on a two-out wild pitch with the Goldeyes’ seventh and final run.

Chase Simpson singled in Rotola in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 7-3.

Kevin McGovern (1-0) earned the win, allowing three earned runs on six hits over five innings.  McGovern walked four and struck out two.

Jesus Sanchez (0-1) started for the Railroaders and took the loss, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits in five innings.  Sanchez walked three and struck out two.

Christian Torres (2.0), Marcus Crescentini (1.0), and Mitchell Aker (1.0) combined for four shutout innings in relief of McGovern.  Crescentini struck out the side in order in the bottom of the eighth.

Lachance finished with three hits, and was a triple shy of the cycle.  The Goldeyes’ offence combined for eight walks.

The three-game series concludes Wednesday afternoon at 1:05 p.m.  Mitchell Lambson (1-0, 0.00) faces left-hander Eudis Idrogo (0-0, 1.80).  All the action can be heard locally on 93.7 FM CJNU and worldwide at www.cjnu.ca

The Goldeyes’ 2019 home opener is scheduled for Friday, May 24^th versus the Kansas City T-Bones.  2019 season tickets, 10-game mini packs, and group tickets are on sale now.  For more information, call the Goldeyes’ office at (204) 982-BASE, or visit the Goldeyes’ official website at www.goldeyes.com.

By Steve Schuster