(Winnipeg, Manitoba) The final road series started in Winnipeg in a series that features the Gary SouthShore RailCats, and the team tied for first place in the West division, the Winnipeg Goldeyes. Ethan Hankins was supposed to start, but there was a last change that would see Casey Grimm making the spot start as he faced the pitching triple crown candidate, Joey Matulovich.
The Goldeyes struck in the first and the second. Miles Simington soared a ball into right field and with the wind playing a factor, the ball deflected off LG Castillo and Ramon Bramasco moved in from second. Edwin Arroyo added the second with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Grimm and Matulovich would trade zeros from the third to the fifth, with the RailCats even coming up empty with two runners in scoring position. But Olivier Basabe would bash his 19th double of the season over the left fielders head and that would chase out the Winnipeg starting pitcher. He went 5.1 and struck out 10 RailCats. In the same inning, Castillo would single moving the runners on the corners. Jose Contreras would hit a ball into the air and it would soar over the right field fence for his 12th home run and give the RailCats their first lead.
Grimm would face one batter in the sixth, giving up a walk and would be removed from the game. Hunter Treece and Denson Hull struggled to throw strikes in the inning, as five walks and one hit by pitch led to three runs and the Goldeyes had their two-run lead once again. One more run would be tacked on as the Goldeyes won behind Ryder Yakel pitching two scoreless innings. Final in game one at Blue Cross Park saw the Goldeyes defeat the RailCats 6-3.
Game two is tomorrow night with Tai Tiedemann facing Landon Bourassa, Bourassa is making his third start against the RailCats and the last time he faced them at home, he surrendered one run on two hits. First pitch at 6:30.