Winnipeg Goldeyes 2019 Game Information
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th 26 YEAR 21 WINNING SEASONS 19 PLAYOFF APPEARANCES 1994 CHAMPIONS 2012 CHAMPIONS 2016 CHAMPIONS 2017 CHAMPIONS WINNIPEG GOLDEYES 2019 GAME INFORMATION GAME: #2 ROAD GAME: #2 WINNIPEG GOLDEYES (1-0) at TEXAS AIRHOGS (0-1) FRIDAY, MAY 17th, 2019 – AIRHOGS STADIUM – 7:05 PM TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHERS: WIN: LHP Mitchell Lambson (0-0, 0.00) TEX: RHP Zech Lemond (0-0, 0.00) GOLDEYES OPEN SEASON WITH EXTRA-INNING WIN: The Winnipeg Goldeyes beat the Texas AirHogs 3-1 in 10 innings in their 2019 season opener at AirHogs Stadium on Thursday night. Tied at 1-1 in the top of the 10th, Willy Garcia singled home the go-ahead run, and later scored on a Reggie Abercrombie RBI groundout. Christian Torres and Victor Capellan combined on a scoreless bottom of the 10th, with Capellan earning his first save of the year. Adrian Marin drove in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. Josh Prince’s RBI triple in the seventh evened the score for Texas. Kevin McGovern started for the Goldeyes and took a no-decision, allowing one earned run on two hits in7.0 innings. McGovern walked two, struck out two, and recorded 17 of hits 21 outs on groundballs. Marcus Crescentini earned the win in relief. Jack Charleston also pitched a scoreless relief inning for Winnipeg. ALL-TIME AGAINST THE AIRHOGS: The Winnipeg Goldeyes are 11-3 all-time against the Texas AirHogs, including a 4-0 record at AirHogs Stadium. In 2016, the Amarillo Thunderheads (formerly the Amarillo Sox) and Grand Prairie AirHogs merged into the Texas AirHogs. The club split its 2016 home schedule between Amarillo’s Potter County Memorial Stadium and Grand Prairie’s AirHogs Stadium (formerly QuikTrip Park). Since 2017, the AirHogs have played their home games exclusively in Grand Prairie. Texas was 25-75 in 2018, finishing sixth in the American Association South Division. The Sox joined the league in 2011, and won three consecutive United League championships from 2008-10 when the franchise was known as the Amarillo Dillas. Meanwhile, the Grand Prairie AirHogs won the 2011 American Association championship, overcoming a 2-0 series deficit against the St. Paul Saints. For a second consecutive year, the AirHogs have formed a partnership with the Chinese National Team. A portion of the AirHogs’ roster will be dedicated to members of the Chinese National Team. The remaining roster spots will be reserved for traditional American Association players. Former Major League catcher Chris Bando enters his first season as AirHogs’ manager. Bando played nine seasons in the Majors with the Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics, and Detroit Tigers. Bando has 10 years of managerial experience, including three seasons at the Triple-A level. Prior to 2019, Bando last managed the Frontier League’s Washington Wild Things in 2012. SERIES MATCHUP: This is the first of two head-to-head series this season between the Winnipeg Goldeyes and the Texas AirHogs. The teams meet again for a three-game set at Shaw Park in late-July. TONIGHT’S STARTERS: The Goldeyes go with left-hander Mitchell Lambson who is in his third overall season with the club. After beginning last year in the Mexican League, Lambson returned to the Goldeyes and was 8-6 in 17 starts and one relief appearance. Lambson finished ninth in the American Association in ERA (3.81) 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 39 games, 38 of them in relief. 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 eighth season of professional baseball, and is 43-27 (.614) lifetime with 10 saves and a 3.44 ERA in 254 appearances, 29 of them as a starting pitcher. Lambson has averaged 8.6 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, is tied for second in program history with 102 appearances. Lambson is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two career relief appearances against Texas. Tonight will be Lambson’s first career appearance at AirHogs Stadium. PROJECTED UPCOMING PITCHING MATCHUPS The AirHogs go with right-hander Zech Lemond who was a 5/18 at TEX: RHP Harrison Cooney (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Travis Ballew (0-0, 0.00) combined 4-0 with two saves and a 2.29 ERA in35 relief 5/19 at TEX: RHP Parker French (0-0, 0.00) vs. TBA appearances at three levels of the Miami Marlins’ organization. Lemond walked 16 and struck out 47 in 51.0 innings pitched. Lemond is in his sixth season of professional baseball, and is 19-22 lifetime with three saves and a 5.04 ERA in 143 games, 44 of them as a starting pitcher. Lemond was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the third round in 2014 out of Rice University in Houston, Texas. Lemond has reached the Double-A level three times in his career, and has walked just 2.4 batters per nine innings. Tonight will be Lemond’s first career appearance against Winnipeg, as well as his first career appearance at AirHogs Stadium. 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-present) 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 ENTER 26th SEASON: The Winnipeg Goldeyes enter their 26th season in 2019. The franchise brought professional baseball back to the city in 1994. The Goldeyes were 41-59 in 2018, marking just the fourth time in team history they finished below .500. The Goldeyes have reached the postseason 19 times in their first 25 years, and have won four championships (Northern League 1994, American Association 2012, 2016, 2017). EXPERIENCE THIS: The Goldeyes set a franchise record in their season opener on May 16th at Texas. Eight of the nine players in Winnipeg’s starting lineup had Triple-A or Major League experience. The previous record was six held by the 2015 Goldeyes. TENURED REGGIE: On May 16th at Texas, Goldeyes’ centre fielder Reggie Abercrombie became the first player in American Association history to appear in a 10th season. Abercrombie first joined the league in 2010 with the Sioux Falls Pheasants. GOLDEYES PARE DOWN ROSTER: In accordance with American Association rules, the Winnipeg Goldeyes trimmed their roster to 23 active players on Tuesday afternoon. First baseman Correlle Prime, and right-handed pitchers Landon Hughes and Kevin McAvoy all cleared waivers and became free agents. Left-handed pitcher Josh Norwood, who was added Monday as a non-roster invitee, was also removed from Winnipeg’s roster. Right- handed pitcher Eric Carter will begin the season on the Inactive List, and is eligible to return on June 3rd. GOLDEYES ADD TORRES: The Winnipeg Goldeyes acquired left-handed pitcher Christian Torres on Monday from the Lincoln Saltdogs in exchange for a player to be named later. Torres was 5-6 with a 3.36 ERA in nine starts and 11 relief appearances last season for the High-A Carolina League’s Down East Wood Ducks. Torres was drafted by the Rangers in the 30th round out of Faulkner University in 2016, and has a 2.93 ERA in three professional seasons. GOLDEYES ACQUIRE CRESCENTINI: The Winnipeg Goldeyes acquired right-handed pitcher Marcus Crescentini from the Kansas City T-Bones on Sunday in exchange for a player to be named later and cash considerations. Crescentini was 5-0 with one save and a 1.32 ERA in 25 relief appearances for Kansas City last year. During the postseason, Crescentini did not allow a run in 5.1 innings, and was the winning pitcher in the clinching Game Four of the American Association Championship Series on September 15th vs. St. Paul. Crescentini began last season in the Miami Marlins’ organization where he reached Double-A Jacksonville. Crescentini was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 26th round in 2015. ALL-STAR THOMPSON HEADED TO RED SOX: Right-handed pitcher Dylan Thompson’s contract was purchased by the Boston Red Sox on May 10th. Thompson made one appearance for the Goldeyes during spring training, striking out five batters in two scoreless innings versus Fargo-Moorhead on May 8th.