WINNIPEG, Manitoba- For the first time since 2021, the Winnipeg Goldeyes (41-38) were beat at Shaw Park as the Gary SouthShore RailCats handed the Goldeyes a 3-1 loss in game one of a three game set.
Winnipeg was undefeated through six games at Shaw this season prior to the opener against the ‘Cats, but a combined no-hitter through five innings led the way in the two-run victory for Gary SouthShore.
RailCats’ starter Chris Erwin dealt three no-hit innings in his return to the playing field with one run on four walks while striking out four. Erwin took the no decision in his first outing since July 14.
The win went to Daniel Taggart who added two innings of scoreless, no-hit baseball in his first effort in a RailCats’ jersey. Taggart, who formerly played with the Sioux City Explorers and Milwaukee Milkmen in prior series in Winnipeg this season, faced seven and allowed just one walk to the penultimate batter he would face.
In the second square, Hayden Schilling blooped a two-out RBI-single to drive home Jesus Marriaga and take a 1-0 lead after Marriaga swiped his team-high fifteenth stolen base of the season just minutes before.
Two innings later, Tom Walraven belted his first of two doubles on the evening to drive in Alec Olund from first, and on the ensuing batter, Ray Jones singled in Walraven to take a 3-1 RailCats’ lead in the fourth.
Despite four combined hits against Nick Garcia and Tasker Strobel out of the bullpen, the pair of relievers would hold Winnipeg silent for the seventh time the RailCats would hold a team to one run or less this season. Two of those instances have come against the Goldeyes.
Strobel threw two innings of scoreless baseball to record the six-out save, his fifth save of the season, the most among RailCats relievers in 2021.
Game two between the Gary SouthShore RailCats and the Winnipeg Goldeyes is scheduled for tomorrow, August 18 at 6:35 p.m. at Shaw Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.