th 26 YEAR 21 WINNING SEASONS 19 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES 1994 CHAMPIONS 2012 CHAMPIONS 2016 CHAMPIONS 2017 CHAMPIONS WINNIPEG GOLDEYES 2019 GAME INFORMATION GAME: #21 HOME GAME: #11 WINNIPEG GOLDEYES (13-7) vs. CLEBURNE RAILROADERS (10-10) FRIDAY, JUNE 7th, 2019 – SHAW PARK – 7:05 PM TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHERS: WIN: LHP Mitchell Lambson (2-1, 2.88) SC: RHP Charles Gillies (1-2, 3.32) GOLDEYES STOPPED BY FORMER MAJOR LEAGUER JORDAN: The Winnipeg Goldeyes lost 5-0 to the Sioux City Explorers at Shaw Park on Thursday night. Explorers’ starter Taylor Jordan pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout on 87 pitches. Sioux City scored three two-out runs in the top of the fifth on a Kyle Wren triple and a Michael Lang two-run homer. The Explorers added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Jordan retired the final 19 batters to face him. Kevin McGovern started for the Goldeyes and took the loss, allowing five earned runs on nine hits in 7.0 innings. McGovern walked one and struck out five. Brandon Bingel pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief of McGovern. ALL-TIME AGAINST THE RAILROADERS: The Winnipeg Goldeyes are 6-7 all-time against the Cleburne Railroaders, including a 1-2 record at Shaw Park. The Railroaders were 33-66 in 2018, and finished fifth in the American Association South Division. The Railroaders joined the league as an expansion team in 2017, bringing professional baseball back to the city for the first time since 1906. The original Railroaders won the 1906 Texas League championship before folding after that season. Hall of Fame outfielder Tris Speaker began his professional career with the 1906 club before amassing 3,514 base hits at the Major League level. This past off-season, the Railroaders underwent significant changes in ownership and on-field personnel. Former Wichita Wingnuts’ general manager Josh Robertson was named Director of Baseball Operations, while former Major League outfielder Brent Clevlen was introduced as Cleburne’s third manager. Clevlen played four seasons in the Majors with the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves, and is one of the most decorated players in American Association history. Clevlen is third on the American Association’s career list in batting average (.329, minimum 1,500 plate appearances), seventh in home runs (71), ninth in RBI (313), and was voted the league’s Player of the Year while helping Wichita to the American Association championship in 2014. Clevlen managed the Wingnuts to a 61-39 record during the franchise’s final season in 2018. John Rodriguez, who was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 2006 World Series championship team, serves as Clevlen’s hitting coach. Mike Jeffocat logged 500.0 innings over 10 Major League seasons, and takes over as Cleburne’s pitching coach. The Goldeyes opened the 2017 season at Cleburne, and won the inaugural game at The Depot at Cleburne Station 5-3. SERIES MATCHUP: The Winnipeg Goldeyes are 13-7, and tied for first place in the American Association North Division with the Chicago Dogs. The Goldeyes just won three of four from the Sioux City Explorers at Shaw Park. The Goldeyes are eighth in the American Association in hitting (.250), fourth in pitching (3.78), and second in fielding (.988). The Cleburne Railroaders are 10-10, in third place in the South Division, and 1.0 game behind the Lincoln Saltdogs. The Railroaders just lost two out of three at Sioux Falls. The Railroaders are sixth in the league in batting (.254), fifth in pitching (4.08), and 12th in defence (.961). This is the second of two head-to-head series this season between Winnipeg and Cleburne. The Goldeyes won two of three at The Depot at Cleburne Station in May. PROJECTED UPCOMING PITCHING MATCHUPS TONIGHT’S STARTERS: The Goldeyes go with left- 6/8 vs. CLE: LHP Ryan Johnson (1-0, 0.71) vs. RHP Jesus Sanchez (2-2, 4.88) hander Mitchell Lambson who is 2-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 6/9 vs. CLE: RHP Harrison Cooney (2-1, 5.00) vs. LHP Michael Gunn (1-0,4.57) four starts this season. Lambson took a no-decision at Sioux Falls on Sunday, pitching 7.2 shutout innings on five hits. Lambson walked one and struck out five. The Canaries won the game 2-1 in 10 innings. After beginning the 2018 season in the Mexican League, Lambson returned to the Goldeyes in June and was 8-6 with a 3.81 ERA in 17 starts and one relief appearance. Lambson finished ninth in the American Association in ERA and tied for fourth in wins above replacement (WAR) among pitchers (2.8). Lambson allowed three or fewer earned runs in 11 of his 17 starts, and allowed four or fewer earned runs in 14 of them. Lambson walked three batters or less in 16 of his 17 starts. Lambson pitched 6.0 innings or more in 12 of 17 starts, including seven starts of 7.0-plus innings. During the Goldeyes’ 2017 championship season, Lambson was7-3 with one save and a 3.98 ERA in one start and 38 relief appearances. Lambson was then 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in six postseason relief appearances, including 1.2 shutout innings in the clinching Game Five of the American Association Championship Series on September 20th vs. Wichita. Lambson is in his ninth season of professional baseball, and is 45-28 (.616) lifetime with 10 saves and a 3.41 ERA in 258 appearances, 33 of them as a starting pitcher. Lambson has averaged 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings as a professional versus only 2.3 walks. Lambson was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 19th round in 2011 out of Arizona State University (Tempe, Arizona). Lambson helped the Sun Devils reach the College World Series in 2009 and 2011, and is tied for second in program history with 102 appearances. Lambson is 1-1 with a 4.70 ERA in two starts and three relief appearances in his career against Cleburne. Lambson is 8-6 with a 3.35 ERA in nine starts and 18 relief appearances in his career at Shaw Park. The Railroaders go with right-hander Charles Gillies who is 1-2 with a 3.32 ERA in three starts this season. Gillies took the loss on May 31st vs. St. Paul, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits in 7.0 innings. Gillies walked one and struck out six as the Railroaders were no-hit by St. Paul starter Eddie Medina. Gillies was 7-7 with a 4.80 ERA in 16 starts for the Wichita Wingnuts in 2018. Gillies finished tied for 12th in the American Association with 91 strikeouts. Gillies allowed three or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 16 starts, and allowed four or fewer earned runs in 13 of them. Gillies walked two batters or less in 13 of his 16 starts, and walked three batters or less in 15 of them. The Railroaders acquired Gillies from the Wingnuts on October 5th, 2018 along with 11 other players in exchange for cash. Gillies was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 10th round in 2012 out of The Master’s College in Santa Clarita, California. Gillies is in his eight season of professional baseball, and is 29-42 lifetime with a 4.26 ERA in 104 games, 101 of them as a starting pitcher. Gillies has averaged just 0.4 home runs per nine innings during in his career. Gillies is 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA in four career starts against Winnipeg. Gillies is 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA in one career start at Shaw Park. GOLDEYES MANAGER: Rick Forney is now in his 14th season as Goldeyes’ manager, and his 23rd overall within the organization. During his first 13 years at the helm, the Goldeyes have posted a .545 overall winning percentage (698-583), 10 winning seasons, nine playoff appearances, and an American Association-record three championships. Forney was voted American Association Manager of the Year in 2011, and managed the American Association during the American Association/Can-Am League All-Star Game in 2017. Forney’s .553 winning percentage in the American Association (2011-18) is the third-highest in league history (there have been 51 total American Association managers through the 2018 season). Forney pitched professionally for 10 years, including four seasons with the Goldeyes. During his playing career, Forney was 89-56 (.614) with a 3.63 ERA, and reached the Triple-A level in 1995. GOLDEYES SIGN SLUGGER MARTIN: The Winnipeg Goldeyes signed first baseman Kyle Martin on June 5th. Martin hit a combined .198 with 10 home runs and 45 RBI last year in 110 games at two levels of the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization. Martin blasted 22 home runs in 2017 for the Double-A Eastern League’s Reading Fightin’ Phils. Martin was drafted in the fourth round by the Phillies in 2015 out of the University of South Carolina (Columbia, South Carolina) where he was a First-Team All-American as a senior. LACHANCE PICKED UP BY DIAMONDBACKS: Infielder Kevin Lachance had his contract purchased by the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 1st. In 13 games for the Goldeyes, Lachance hit .372 with eight runs, three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, 12 walks, three stolen bases, and a .509 on-base percentage. Earlier this season, Lachance was named the American Association’s first Batter of the Week for 2019. Lachance’s contract is the 77th all- time the Goldeyes have sold to a Major League organization, and the third during the 2019 calendar year.