WINNIPEG GOLDEYES DAILY CLIPPINGS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8th, 2019

- Fish Bring Out Big Bats to Club Saltdogs in Blowout— Free Press (Devon Shewchuk), 8/8/19 - Goldeyes Down ‘Dogs—Winnipeg Sun, 8/8/19 - Goldeyes Collect 19 Hits Again in Win Over Lincoln— (Steve Schuster), 8/7/19 - August 7th Game Highlights (Video Link)—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Jason Young), 8/7/19 - August 7th Postgame Interviews (Video Link)—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Nigel Batchelor), 8/7/19 - ‘Dogs Fall Behind Early, Lose Game Two—Lincoln Saltdogs (Michael Dixon), 8/7/19 - Marching to Their Own Beat—Winnipeg Free Press (Devon Shewchuk), 8/8/19 - Goldeyes Glad to Have Veterans Wes Darvill and Willy Garcia Back From Pan-Am Games—Winnipeg Sun, 8/8/19 - Goldeyes Savour Pan Am Games Experience—Winnipeg Free Press (Devon Shewchuk), 8/7/19 - Darvill and Garcia Return—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Steve Schuster), 8/6/19 - Manager Sees ‘Night and Day’ Difference With Team Since Last Lincoln Series—Winnipeg Free Press (Devon Shewchuk), 8/6/19 - Milestone for McGovern—Winnipeg Sun, 8/6/19 - Minor League, Major Joy—Winnipeg Free Press (David Sanderson), 8/3/19

FISH BRING OUT BIG BATS TO CLUB SALTDOGS IN BLOWOUT DEVON SHEWCHUK – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – THURSDAY, AUGUST 8th The Winnipeg Goldeyes have done it again.

For the second straight night they defeated the Lincoln Saltdogs by a lopsided score, winning 11-6 at Shaw Park.

The Fish pounded the visitors 15-10 the previous outing.

The Fish proved that consistency is key. They reached 19 hits for a second-consecutive night and scored one run or more in six of the eight innings they batted.

Goldeyes veteran Reggie Abercrombie is one of the many players who had a good night at the plate, going 3 for 5 with two RBIs.

"(Consistency) is important because we’re going for the playoff push," Abercrombie said.

"We gotta be consistent in all the games we’re coming up with. Tomorrow’s game, big. The series in Milwaukee is big. Of course, everybody knows the series in St. Paul is gonna be big — matter of fact, the rest of the season is gonna be big,."

The Fish put up a big fourth inning, batting around the order and driving in six runs. In the seventh, Tyler Hill hit his fourth home run in a Goldeyes uniform.

Former Goldeyes player Josh Mazzola didn’t let his appearance at Shaw Park go unnoticed.

In the top of the sixth, Mazzola hit a three-run homer to left centre field. It was his first home run as a member of the Saltdogs since joining the team last month and his ninth career dinger against the Goldeyes in 35 games.

Although Mazzola is no longer with the team, he still holds the Goldeyes’ all-time home run record with 90. Abercrombie is close to catching him, having hit 86 out of the park in a Goldeyes uniform.

"It’s pretty good playing against Mazzola, man," Abercrombie said.

"I don’t really know how many home runs I need, I didn’t even know I was close…

"I’m just gonna keep on playing and try and get us in the playoffs."

The third and final game of the series against the Saltdogs will be played tonight at Shaw Park, with the first pitch at 7:05 p.m.

GOLDEYES DOWN ‘DOGS WINNIPEG SUN – THURSDAY, AUGUST 8th The Winnipeg Goldeyes beat the Lincoln Saltdogs 11-6 at Shaw Park on Wednesday night.

Tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the third, Willy Garcia drove home the go-ahead runs with a two-run single.

Winnipeg broke the game open with a six-run bottom of the fourth. Alex Perez led off with a single and was doubled home by Kevin Garcia. Reggie Abercrombie, Kyle Martin, and Willy Garcia added consecutive RBI singles. Adrian Marin polished off the rally with a two-out, two-run double.

Lincoln pulled within 10-6 on a Josh Mazzola three-run homer in the sixth and a run-scoring double play in the seventh.

Tyler Hill re-extended the Goldeyes’ lead with a solo homer off the left field foul pole in the seventh.

Abercrombie drove in the game’s first run with a single in the opening frame, while Perez lifted a sacrifice fly in the second that made it 2-0.

Christian Ibarra hit a two-run home run in the top of the third that briefly tied the game.

Mitchell Lambson allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits in six and one-third innings to earn his 10th win of the year.

WP: Lambson (10-2) LP: Herrmann (2-2) SV: n/a HR: WIN Hill (4)…LIN Ibarra (11), Mazzola (1)

THE SKINNY: The Goldeyes pounded out 19 hits for a second straight night in an 11-6 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs. Mitchell Lambson became the American Association’s third 10-game winner of the season.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tyler Hill was 3-for-5 with a home run and raised his batting average to what would be a league-best .375. Hill is just seven plate appearances shy of qualifying for the American Association batting leaders.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Willy Garcia’s third-inning single gave the Goldeyes the lead for good and came on an 0-2 count.

UP NEXT: The three-game series concludes Thursday morning at 11:05 a.m. Joel Bender faced right-hander Brad Thoutt. The game can be heard on 93.7 FM.

GOLDEYES COLLECT 19 HITS AGAIN IN WIN OVER LINCOLN STEVE SCHUSTER – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7th WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (43-31) beat the Lincoln Saltdogs 11-6 at Shaw Park on Wednesday night.

Tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the third, Reggie Abercrombie legged out a one-out infield single and went to third on Kyle Martin’s double down the right field line. On an 0-2 count, Willy Garcia put the Goldeyes ahead for good with a line drive, two-run single to centre.

The Goldeyes plated six runs in the bottom of the fourth, sending 10 batters to the plate. Alex Perez led off with a single to left-centre and was doubled home by Kevin Garcia. Tyler Hill bunted for a base hit before stealing second. Two batters later, Abercrombie singled to centre to drive in Kevin Garcia. Martin and Willy Garcia followed with RBI singles, while Adrian Marin capped the rally with a two-out, two-run double to right-centre.

“Good game by everyone,” said Abercrombie. “Lambson came out and did a great job, and the boys came out and hit. Tom had a great scouting report on the pitcher. We just tried to stick to our plan, and Lambson did what he always does. We’re going for a playoff push, so we have to be consistent. Tomorrow’s game is big. The series in Milwaukee and St. Paul are big. The rest of the season is big.”

Lincoln pulled within 10-6 on a Josh Mazzola three-run home run in the top of the sixth, and a Forrest Allday run-scoring double play in the top of the seventh.

Hill re-extended the Goldeyes’ lead to 11-6 in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run that struck the left field foul pole.

Justin Kamplain and Cameron McVey combined for a perfect top of the eighth, while Victor Capellan struck out two in a perfect top of the ninth to seal the win.

Mitchell Lambson (10-2) picked up the win for Winnipeg, allowing six runs, five earned, on eight hits in six and one-third innings. Lambson walked none and struck out seven.

Spencer Herrmann (2-2) started for the Saltdogs (32-42) and took the loss, allowing 10 earned runs on 15 hits in four innings. Herrmann walked one and struck out one.

The Goldeyes took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Hill singled to centre, advanced to second on a Wes Darvill walk, and scored on an Abercrombie line drive single to right-centre.

Dominic Ficociello opened the bottom of the second with a single to left-centre, stole second, took third when Marin bunted for a hit, and scored the Goldeyes’ second run on a sacrifice fly to centre from Perez.

The Saltdogs briefly tied the game in the top of the third when Christian Ibarra hit a two-run home run to left-centre.

The three-game series concludes Thursday morning at 11:05 a.m. Joel Bender (1-2, 2.67) faces right-hander Brad Thoutt (0-0, 4.50). Advance tickets are on sale now by visiting www.goldeyes.com/tickets or by visiting the box office at Shaw Park.

For information on 2019 season tickets, 10-game mini packs, and group tickets, call the Goldeyes’ office at (204) 982-BASE, or visit the Goldeyes’ official website at www.goldeyes.com

VIDEO: AUGUST 7th GAME HIGHLIGHTS JASON YOUNG – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7th LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BxCLyvAYBM

VIDEO: AUGUST 7th POSTGAME INTERVIEWS NIGEL BATCHELOR – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7th LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj1drRWr5Bs

‘DOGS FALL BEHIND EARLY, LOSE GAME TWO MICHAEL DIXON – LINCOLN SALTDOGS – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7th WINNIPEG, – Christian Ibarra extended his hitting streak to 12 game with a two-run homer and a single, but the ‘Dogs couldn’t overcome a six-run 4th inning in an 11-6 loss to the Winnipeg Goldeyes at Shaw Park on Wednesday night.

Ibarra’s two-run homer – his 11th of the year – tied the game at two in the 3rd inning. Ibarra’s 12-game hitting streak is now the longest for any ‘Dog this year, passing two 11-game streaks from Curt Smith earlier in the year.

Spencer Herrmann allowed 10 runs on 15 hits over four innings. Winnipeg scored runs in each of the first four innings, including a six-run 4th in which 10 Fish came to the plate.

Josh Mazzola hit his first homer as a Saltdog -- a three-run homer to make it 10-5 in the 6th inning. Mazzola is the all-time home run leader in Winnipeg Goldeyes franchise history and played five seasons at Shaw Park.

Austin Pettibone tossed a scoreless 5th inning and now has five consecutive scoreless appearances with seven consecutive scoreless innings.

Martire Garcia went allowed just one hit with three strikeouts over 1.2 innings, while Reese Gregory allowed only his second run of the year – a two-out solo homer from Tyler Hill in the 7th.

Forrestt Allday had a single and a double and now owns a seven-game hitting streak with a 23-game on-base streak. Mazzola’s streak is now a season- long eight games, Randolph Oduber went 2-for-4 and now has a seven-game hitting streak, and the ‘Dogs have now scored 85 runs over their last 11 games.

The series finale is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, and pregame coverage will begin at 10:30 on ESPN Lincoln 101.5 FM/1480 AM.

MARCHING TO THEIR OWN BEAT DEVON SHEWCHUK – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – THURSDAY, AUGUST 8th For decades, walk-up songs have been a designated hit with baseball players and fans alike.

You know one when you hear one.

Once it’s time for the home team to bat, a song will play before each batter goes to the plate. If you listen closely, you’ll notice that every player has a different song. No matter how many times a player goes to bat in a game, their personal "walk-up song" remains the same.

The tradition has become a staple amongst nearly all professional baseball teams in the past 20-plus years. The Winnipeg Goldeyes are no exception.

This week, seven players spoke to the Free Press about their walk-up songs and what it means to them.

Goldeyes infielder Dominic Ficociello says choosing a walk-up song is something most players take pretty seriously.

"It’s kind of a big thing to us ball players, the hitters. It’s one thing that I’m just about sure all of us think about over the course of an off-season on a daily basis when we’re listening to songs on our iPod or whatever. It’s always like, ‘Oh this may be a good walk-up song’ or not," he said.

Depending on a player’s personality and style of play, they tend to lean in one of two directions. Some players enjoy a fast, upbeat song to get them pumped up on their way to the plate, while others will use a slow, cool song to calm them down.

Ficociello’s song You Be Killin’ Em’ by Fabolous is a rap song on the upbeat end of things.

"Everybody’s got their own thing. Usually I don’t like to get too fired up as I’m walking to the plate, so usually I go with something like reggae, where it just kind of keeps me calm and whatever. But I started the season with a reggae song and it wasn’t working for me, so I switched it up and this one has worked a little bit better," Ficociello said.

For the past handful of games, the Goldeyes have been wearing their blue batting practice jerseys, all because they’ve been playing well in them. Just like they’ve been superstitious in their game wear, they’ve been superstitious about their walk-up songs, too.

In general, it’s not uncommon for a player to change their song if it hasn’t been working for them, especially after a prolonged period of time.

Goldeyes catcher Kevin Garcia recently changed his. He started the season with SOS by Avicii, but changed to a Latin song in July. After a rough month, Garcia changed it back for the team’s most recent homestand.

"I don’t know, I feel like I started really good (with SOS). Then I changed it to something else and it hadn’t been working out, it was time to get something going. Anything helps," Garcia said.

In Garcia’s first game back with his original walk-up song, he had three hits and two RBIs.

"I just like the beat (of SOS). I’ve always done Latin music, so I thought maybe I’d do something different for a change. I heard the song and immediately liked it."

Garcia isn’t the only player who usually strays away from mainstream music. Adrian Marin’s walk-up song is the Spanish La Romana by El Alfa. This is the second year in a row Marin has had a walk-up song by the artist. For Marin, his walk-up songs have always been a way to show off his Hispanic roots.

"I’m Hispanic, my parents are both Cuban, so I have Hispanic roots in me and I enjoy the Spanish music a lot," Marin said. "Plus, El Alfa’s beats are different from all the other Spanish artists and I really like that."

Across the board, Goldeyes players chose their songs for a varying range of reasons. Ficociello says the diversity in music selection represents the diversity in the clubhouse and that’s something he loves to see.

"For a lot of guys, it helps a lot. It kind of gets them amped up and ready to go before they get into the box... Everybody’s got their different flavour, their different type of music they like."

GOLDEYES GLAD TO HAVE VETERANS WES DARVILL AND WILLY GARCIA BACK FROM THE PAN-AM GAMES IN PERU WINNIPEG SUN – THURSDAY, AUGUST 8th Veterans Wes Darvill and Willy Garcia returned to the Goldeyes on Tuesday night.

Each had two hits during Winnipeg’s 15-10 win over the Lincoln Saltdogs, with Garcia slugging both a double and his team-leading 11th home run.

Darvill and Garcia had been away from the club while participating in the 2019 Pan-Am Games in Lima, Peru.

“We’re glad to have both guys back,” said Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney. “They’re both really good players. They’re favourites of ours here. They play the game hard.”

Darvill helped the Canadian National Team to a Silver Medal finish. The British Columbia native hit .333 in six games with eight runs, a grand slam homer, and eight RBI while serving as the regular shortstop.

The 27-year-old went into Wednesday tied for seventh in the American Association with a .329 batting average, and ranked first and second in fielding percentage at shortstop and third base respectively.

Garcia represented his native Dominican Republic and also belted a grand slam. The former Major Leaguer finished with three runs and five RBI in four contests.

While Darvill and Garcia showcased their skills abroad, both players remained in close contact with Forney and their teammates.

“They care about what’s going on here every day,” Forney said. “They both followed the club while they were gone. They were paying attention. Both seem really excited about being back and doing everything they can to help us make a push.”

The Goldeyes sit just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot in the American Association North Division, and have 11 head-to-head games remaining against fellow contenders St. Paul and Chicago.

With Darvill and Garcia classified as veterans, the team made a pair of corresponding roster moves. Outfielder James Harris was placed on the Inactive List, while infielder Carlos Garcia cleared waivers and became a free agent.

Harris was hitting .280 with three home runs and 38 RBI, and had played in all 72 games while on the active roster. Carlos Garcia batted .271 in 12 contests after signing with the team in late-July.

The Goldeyes also placed rookie infielder Jordan Hovey on the Disabled List on Tuesday. The transaction was retroactive to July 15th.

Tuesday’s slugfest saw the Goldeyes and Saltdogs combine for 36 base hits and a combined .439 batting average. The franchise record for combined hits was achieved on July 27, 1999. The Goldeyes and Madison Black Wolf totaled 50 hits in a 15-inning game that Winnipeg won 11-10.

GOLDEYES SAVOUR PAN AM GAMES EXPERIENCE DEVON SHEWCHUK – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7th Winnipeg Goldeyes veteran Wes Darvill was a long way from home, but that didn’t stop fans from recognizing him during his most recent trip to the Pan Am Games.

From July 29 to Aug. 4, Darvill was one of the two Goldeyes players representing their home country’s national baseball teams in Lima, Peru. Darvill represented , while Goldeyes teammate Willy Garcia represented the Dominican Republic.

"Just truly an honour to represent Canada, and then also to represent the Goldeyes. I had people coming up to me over there saying they’re from Winnipeg, that they’re so happy that I’m here and that they’re huge Goldeyes fans, so that was a lot of fun, too," Darvill said on Tuesday before the Goldeyes played an American Association game against the Lincoln Saltdogs.

The Langley, B.C. native was 9 for 27 at the plate in six tournament games, with eight runs scored — including a grand slam on Aug. 1 as part of a 10-3 victory over Columbia.

Team Canada fell 6-1 in the gold-medal match against Puerto Rico. It was a tough loss for Canada, which entered the competition as back-to-back gold medallists in the Guadalajara 2011 and Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games.

Despite the lost, Darvill is happy to be walking away with a silver medal and some great memories during his time with Team Canada.

"Any time you get to represent your country, it’s great. The greatest part was probably just being with the guys at any point. Taking the field with them was special, but even the smallest things from like riding the bus to the field, we’d all sing O Canada pulling up to the field, everyone was banging their hands on the side of the bus making noise, just all really fired up to take the field," Darvill said.

It was Garcia’s first time representing his home country, the Dominican Republic, on an international stage.

"First time representing the Dominican Republic felt amazing. It was my first time going to the Pan Ams. Having fun with people from my country, people from other countries, different cultures in the villas," Garcia said.

Team Dominican Republic lost to Team Cuba 10-9 in a consolation match, but in no way does that discredit the fantastic showing Garcia put up in his international debut.

One of Garcia’s favourite moments was hitting a grand slam in the ninth inning of their preliminary-round matchup against the host country, Peru.

"It felt amazing, especially with Peru being on our tails. With that grand slam, we got a little bit of a breather in that game," Garcia said.

The Dominican Republic went on to win the match against Peru 10-3. While Garcia’s team didn’t medal in the Games, the last inning of the last game his team played is one he says he’ll remember forever.

For fans in the stands, it was truly something seemingly out of a movie. It was a 1-0 game for Cuba headed into the top of the ninth. By the end of inning, the score was very, very different.

"It was the last inning against Cuba with two outs. We manufactured nine runs, something where you had to be there to believe it... Just an unreal experience."

DARVILL AND GARCIA RETURN STEVE SCHUSTER – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – TUESDAY, AUGUST 6th WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes made several transactions on Tuesday, including the return of veterans Wes Darvill and Willy Garcia.

Darvill and Garcia recently starred in the 2019 Pan-Am Games in Lima, Peru. Darvill helped Team Canada to a Silver Medal finish. The Langley, British Columbia native was 9-for-27 (.333) in six tournament games with eight runs scored, a home run, and eight RBI. Darvill smacked a grand slam home run on August 1st as part of a 10-3 victory over Colombia. Canada ultimately lost 6-1 to Puerto Rico in the Gold Medal game. Darvill was the starting shortstop for the American Association North at the All-Star Game on July 23rd, and is currently eighth in the league with a .329 batting average.

Garcia played in four contests for the Dominican National Team, contributing three runs scored, a home run, and five RBI. Garcia is currently hitting .294 with 10 home runs and 44 RBI in 60 games for the Goldeyes.

Veteran infielder Carlos Garcia has cleared waivers and is now a free agent, while veteran outfielder James Harris has been placed on the Inactive List.

The Goldeyes’ active roster currently stands at 23 players.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes open a three-game series at home tonight against the Lincoln Saltdogs. First pitch at Shaw Park is at 7:05 p.m. Advance tickets are on sale now by visiting www.goldeyes.com/tickets or by visiting the box office at Shaw Park.

For information on 2019 season tickets, 10-game mini packs, and group tickets, call the Goldeyes’ office at (204) 982-BASE, or visit the Goldeyes’ official website at www.goldeyes.com

MANAGER SEES ‘NIGHT AND DAY’ DIFFERENCE WITH TEAM SINCE LAST LINCOLN SERIES DEVON SHEWCHUK – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – TUESDAY, AUGUST 6th It’s time for the Winnipeg Goldeyes to go fishing for some wins.

The Fish are back at home today for the first time in more than a week, beginning a benchmark three-game series at Shaw Park against the Lincoln Saltdogs.

Winnipeg didn’t fare so well when the teams first met in the beginning of July. During that three-game series in Nebraska, the Fish experienced their first series sweep of the season. It wasn’t close offensively either — over the three games, they were outscored 18-4.

But a lot has changed with the team since they last met the Saltdogs.

In the 20 games since the sweep, the Fish boast a 13-7 record — including a seven-game win streak.

Last week, Goldeyes manager Rick Forney told the Free Press that Lincoln was a turning point for the team.

"We’re night-and-day different than we were when we went to Lincoln. Obviously we struggled hard, for many reasons. The travel down there is not easy and getting off the bus and playing is super difficult," he said.

"We struggled there and it took us a little while to get comfortable. As soon as we left Lincoln and got into St. Paul, offence just kind of clicked in and we were getting contributions from everybody in the lineup."

Home-field advantage may also benefit the Fish in this series matchup. Currently, Winnipeg has a 24-12 home win record — second best in the league. Only the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks have a better home record, two games up on the Fish (41-31) after beating the Goldeyes 7-1 in Fargo Monday.

But while a series win over Lincoln this week would definitely bolster the team’s confidence, the Goldeyes will still have a lot of work to do if they plan on remaining in playoff contention.

They’re sitting at fourth place in the North Division, 4.5 games back of the first-place RedHawks. The Chicago Dogs sit just above the Goldeyes in third, three games back of the lead entering Monday’s play. The St. Paul Saints are in second and currently hold the other playoff spot in the North Division.

With just 27 games left in the regular season, every game needs to be treated as do-or-die for the Fish. Next week, series against the Chicago Dogs and St. Paul Saints are going to be critical. On the off chance two teams are tied for second at the end of the season, the team with the better head-to-head record will earn the playoff spot.

After the Goldeyes’ three-game homestand against Lincoln, the Fish will play six games on the road. Tonight, the first pitch will be thrown at Shaw Park at 7:05 p.m.

MILESTONE FOR MCGOVERN WINNIPEG SUN – TUESDAY, AUGUST 6th Goldeyes’ starting pitcher Kevin McGovern earned his 50th career victory on Sunday at Fargo-Moorhead.

The 30-year-old allowed two earned runs over seven innings, helping Winnipeg maintain its chances in the North Division playoff race.

“It’s not easy,” Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney said on achieving the milestone. “Kevin gives himself a chance to win by logging the number of innings that he does. If you can stay out there longer than the opposition’s starting pitcher, then you’re giving your team a chance to win.”

Forty-four of McGovern’s 50 wins have come in the American Association.

That total ranks fifth in league history, and the left-hander is just one win back of Kyle Ruwe and Richard Salazar who are tied for third with 45.

Former Goldeye Ben Moore amassed a league-record 55 wins while pitching for the Sioux Falls Franchise. Tim Brown, the only player in American Association history who has won three championships, is second with 54.

Sunday was also McGovern’s 36th win as a Goldeye, which tied him with Rafael Gross for third place. Andrew “Ace” Walker (47) and Chris Salamida (40) rank first and second respectively.

McGovern has been one of the hottest pitchers in the league since making some mechanical adjustments in mid-June. The fourth-year Goldeye is 8-2 in his last 10 appearances with a 2.61 ERA over 58.2 innings. The Philadelphia native has lowered his season ERA down to 3.71, which is now ninth in the American Association.

MAZZOLA RETURNS Josh Mazzola, the Goldeyes’ all-time leader with 90 home runs, returns to Winnipeg this week as a member of the Lincoln Saltdogs.

The Californian third baseman hit .233 with 20 home runs and 75 RBI for the Goldeyes last season before getting traded to the Atlantic League’s High Point Rockers in January.

After spending a month in High Point, Mazzola returned to the American Association in early-July when he signed with Lincoln.

The 33-year-old Mazzola was an integral member of the Goldeyes’ 2012 championship run and spent five years with the club overall.

With two home runs on Sunday at Fargo-Moorhead, Reggie Abercrombie has pulled within four long balls of Mazzola’s franchise record.

“Reggie always shows up here at this park,” Forney said. “He’s always played well here. Just the environment, I think gets him excited, and he put some juice into the club Sunday.”

Through Sunday, Abercrombie raised his career average at to .324 with six homers and 24 RBI in 37 games.

SNEAKING UP Goldeyes’ outfielder Tyler Hill went into Monday hitting a team-best .357.

Having joined the team in late-June, Hill is still 15 plate appearances shy of qualifying for the American Association batting leaders.

Hill, who ran off an 18-game hitting streak in July, would otherwise rank second in the league behind Sioux Falls Canaries’ second baseman Alay Lago (.360).

To appear on the average leaders, a hitter must have at least 2.7 plate appearances for every game played by his team.

Hill is on pace to begin qualifying within the next seven or eight games.

MINOR LEAGUE, MAJOR JOY DAVID SANDERSON – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – SATURDAY, AUGUST 3rd It’s the bottom of the second at Shaw Park, where the Winnipeg Goldeyes lead their opponent, the Texas AirHogs, 1-0.

With two outs and nobody on base, Dan Chase, the Goldeyes’ director of sales and marketing, is biding his time in a ground-level passageway tucked between sections K and L. Standing next to him are Goldie, the team’s ebullient mascot, and a chap named Chris chosen at random to participate in an on-field quiz the moment the final out of the inning is in the books.

We should mention: as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the visiting AirHogs, it’s Bacon Night at the downtown ballpark. That means when Chase escorts Chris onto the field to ask him a series of swine-related questions, he’ll do so wearing a gaudy, two-piece, polyester bacon suit. (Standing in the tunnel, Chase responds, "Hey, if it fits, it’s all yours," to those in the stands playfully shouting down at him, "Hey Dan, nice suit! Mind if I borrow it?")

"I consider it ‘other duties as assigned,’" Chase says with a wink, when asked what a long-tenured sales exec is doing sporting an outfit most people and/or porkers wouldn’t be caught dead in, versus sitting in his office, feet up, now that this evening’s game is well underway.

When he was offered his job years ago, donning goofy get-ups and overseeing wacky contests wasn’t part of the equation, he continues. But because he had a strong entertainment background — more about that in a sec — it seemed like a natural fit. Over time, posing as St. Nick for the Goldeyes’ annual Christmas in July game, a teeth-challenged goon for Hockey Night (Aug. 27) or a member of the walking dead for Zombie Night (Aug. 31) became part of his game-day routine.

With that, the Goldeyes’ batter grounds out to first, causing Chase to don his shades, break out his script and turn to Chris, asking him, "Are you ready? Cuz it’s showtime."

"Winnipeg-famous" is a term used to describe people who’ve become instantly recognizable in this neck of the woods simply for going about their day- to-day duties; folks such as TV weather guru Colleen Bready, VJ’s Drive-In burgermeister John Calogeris and Re/Max sales rep Rod (I never sleep) Peeler. Feel free to add Dan Chase, currently celebrating his 20th summer at Shaw Park, to that illustrious list.

"The other day I was in the produce section at the grocery store, unshaven, wearing a ball cap, when this woman came running up to me, yelling, ‘Dan Chase, Dan Chase, how do you think the boys are going to do this year?’" he says, seated in his office flanked by dozens of colourful, Goldeyes-related giveaways, many of which he’s had a hand in creating through the years.

"It’s never, ever a problem when that occurs. If somebody wants to talk baseball with me for 10 minutes, I’m all ears. Still, it does come as a bit of a surprise when people recognize me. I get there are 6,000 people in the stands some nights but I don’t pretend they’re here to see me."

Chase, who is in his 60s and affectionately dubbed ‘Winnipeg Oldeye’ by his co-workers, lives in St. James, in the same house he grew up in with his mother and brother. A gifted singer, after graduating from St. James Collegiate he was cast in numerous musical productions at the International Inn’s Hollow Mug dinner theatre, which eventually led to a television gig on the locally produced variety show All Together Now.

Chase first surfaced on the Goldeyes’ radar in 1994, the team’s inaugural season. Besides being a song-and-dance man, he also had a solid sales background. John Hindle, the club’s original general manager, hired Chase to mentor a young sales team peddling season-ticket packages to games in the team’s then-home, Winnipeg Stadium.

Chase’s contract with the team expired in May 1994. That summer, he accepted a position with Perth’s Drycleaners, serving as that company’s sales manager. Never too far away from the stage during that period, he starred as Rusty Charlie in a Rainbow Stage production of Guys and Dolls.

In 2000, by which time he was working for an events management firm, the Goldeyes came calling again after the team’s marketing director quit prior to the season. When the front-office staff began throwing names around, trying to come up with a possible replacement, somebody piped in, "What about Dan?"

"I can’t remember the first promotion I was personally involved with, it might have had something to do with Larry McIntosh from Peak of the Market. But the way it usually worked was, we’d take advantage of whatever was hot on TV at the time, and do something silly around that," Chase says, recalling a giveaway that spoofed Deal or No Deal, the Howie Mandel game show that featured models parading down a flight of stairs, carrying briefcases.

"Some (promotions) worked, some didn’t," he continues. "Like the time we got three kids to race these battery-powered, miniature snowmobiles. One of them lost control and started swerving towards the visiting team’s dugout. Luckily, some of the players were able to catch him before he crashed. That one still pops up on sports bloopers shows from time to time."

It’s not all fun and games: on several occasions, Chase has put his vocal talent to the test by performing the American and Canadian national anthems. Those nights were probably the only times he’s had butterflies prior to the first pitch, he says. Well, that and the night actor Rob Lowe, in town shooting a movie, showed up at Shaw Park unannounced.

"He casually strolled across the promenade amongst all the fans without security and I nearly fainted. Later during the game, he was in a secured sky suite and a female had to be carried away by security — literally — for trying to gain access to him," he says with a chuckle.

"I think anybody who’s ever worked in minor-league sports learns very quickly that the largest part of one’s job description is, like Dan says, other duties as assigned," says Andrew Collier, in his 17th year as general manager of the Goldeyes. (Collier ain’t kidding; on the night we were scheduled to chat, he had to excuse himself at the last minute to help fix a malfunctioning keg in the park’s popular Craft Beer Corner.)

"On game day, everybody chips in and does what needs to be done and for sure, Dan fits that role to a T."

Another of Chase’s assets, says Collier, is his deep understanding of "the game." Chase played little league ball out of Bord-Aire Community Club while growing up, and later spent a few years coaching and umpiring youth baseball.

"So here’s this guy with a baseball and theatre background, a perfect combination for what we ask him to do," Collier says. "He knows how to have fun with the fans, but he also knows where the line is as far as what we ask players to do, or what kind of show we put on."

The night the Goldeyes toasted sports super-fan Gabe Langlois by presenting attendees with a Dancin’ Gabe bobblehead doll is a cherished memory, Chase says. But he doesn’t hesitate when asked if there’s one promotion he’s been involved in that stands out most from his 20-year career with the Fish.

On June 4, 2016, the Goldeyes organization held its inaugural Diversity Day game, featuring multicultural music and displays. Prior to, Chase contacted a person associated with Winnipeg’s Pride festival, scheduled the same weekend as the Diversity Day event, to inquire whether there was anything they could do jointly. It turned out Gilbert Baker, creator of the Gay Pride Flag, was going to be in Winnipeg for a few Pride events. Perhaps he’d be interested in attending the ball game, Chase proposed.

"Sure enough, he agreed to come. Just before the game, I brought him onto the field to present him with a framed, commemorative baseball bat painted the same colours as his flag," Chase says. "When I handed it to him the crowd went nuts, standing and cheering, and within seconds, tears started rolling out the corners of his eyes. I told him, ‘Be proud of what you achieved. Hold that bat high,’ which caused the fans to go crazier still. Sadly he passed away the following year but that was definitely one of the neatest things I’ve been a part of."

Not good with dates, Chase says he was taken aback at the start of the current campaign when Regan Katz, the club’s assistant general manager, congratulated him on his 20th summer at the ballpark.

"That saying about how time flies? Isn’t that the truth?" he says, grinning from ear to ear. "Every part of my job is great fun, the sales, the marketing, the on-field stuff… I love every minute of it. It’s the guys on the field that provide the thrills but when the team wins, everybody — from the ticket-takers to the concession staff — feels like they’re a part of it. It’s a real ‘we’ atmosphere around here."