GENEVA, IL – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (39-37) beat the Kane County Cougars 8-6 at Northwestern Medicine Field on Friday night.

Box Score

Tied at 6-6 in the top of the seventh inning, Kyle Martin singled through the right side leading off and took third when Raul Navarro grounded a single to right.  Two batters later, Logan Hill ripped a line drive single to left that plated Martin with the go-ahead run.

The Goldeyes picked up an unearned run in the top of the eighth after there were two outs and no one on base.  Max Murphy walked and advanced to third when Martin blooped a single to shallow left.  An ensuing error by Mitch Reeves allowed Murphy to score the Goldeyes’ eighth run.

The Goldeyes received four shutout innings from the bullpen.  Joseph Camacho (2-0) picked up the win with a scoreless bottom of the sixth.  Camacho escaped a first and third situation with one out to keep the game tied when Kacy Clemens grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Zac Ryan struck out four over two perfect innings in the seventh and eighth, while Donnie Hart struck out two in a perfect ninth to earn his third save since joining the Goldeyes last week.

Christian DeLeon (6-3) took the loss in relief for the Cougars (37-41).

Kane County took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-out, RBI single from Reeves.  Jeffrey Baez hit a two-out, RBI double to centre in the bottom of the second that made it 2-0 Cougars.

The Goldeyes sliced into the deficit when Martin led off the top of the fourth with a home run to right.  Including the two RBI Martin collected in the August 12^th suspended game at Chicago, Martin now has 91 RBI on the season which sets a new Goldeyes’ single-season record.  Juan Diaz held the previous mark with 90 RBI in 2009.

Deon Stafford doubled down the left field line leading off the top of the fifth.  After Tyler Hill walked, Wes Darvill sacrificed the runners to second and third.  The Goldeyes then took a 3-2 lead when Murphy singled sharply up the middle.

Kane County answered back in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run home run from Baez.

The Goldeyes took their second lead of the night with three runs in the sixth.  Logan Hill drew a one-out walk and took second on a Dakota Conners infield single.  Stafford ripped a single to left that scored Logan Hill.  After Tyler Hill grounded into a fielder’s choice, Conners scored the tying run on a wild pitch.  Another wild pitch moved Tyler Hill to third, and the Goldeyes went in front 6-5 on a Darvill infield single.  Darvill has now hit safely in 12 consecutive games.

The Cougars evened the score in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double from Josh Rolette.

Eduard Reyes started for the Goldeyes and took a no-decision, allowing five earned runs on six hits in five-plus innings.  Reyes walked six and struck out two.

Josh Tols started for Kane County and also took a no-decision, allowing three earned runs on six hits in five innings.  Tols walked three and struck out two.

Game two of the three-game series is Saturday evening at 6:35 p.m.  Landen Bourassa (2-0, 1.80) faces right-hander Jack Fox (2-4, 4.81).  All the action can be heard locally on CJNU 93.7 FM and worldwide at www.cjnu.ca

The Goldeyes return home on Tuesday, August 17^th when they host the Gary SouthShore RailCats at Shaw Park.

Advanced tickets for all Goldeyes home games are on sale now by visiting www.ticketmaster.ca.  For more information about the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ 2021 remaining schedule, ticket options, and the Goldeyes’ comprehensive COVID-19 readiness plan, visit www.goldeyes.com.