WINNIPEG GOLDEYES DAILY CLIPPINGS

TUESDAY, JUNE 4th, 2019

- Harris, Goldeyes Come Back on Explorers—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Steve Schuster), 6/3/19 - June 3rd Game Highlights (Video Link)—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Jason Young), 6/3/19 - June 3rd Postgame Interviews (Video Link)—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Nigel Batchelor), 6/3/19 - Goldeyes Deal X’s a Gut Punch Loss—Sioux City Explorers (Connor Ryan), 6/3/19 - CTV Morning News: Andrew Collier Interview (Video Link)—CTV Winnipeg (Rachel Lagace), 6/3/19 - CTV Morning News: Test Your Pitch Speed (Video Link)—CTV Winnipeg (Rachel Lagace), 6/3/19 - CTV Morning News: Craft Beer Corner (Video Link)—CTV Winnipeg (Rachel Lagace), 6/3/19 - Goldeyes Middle Infielders Getting it Done—Winnipeg Sun, 6/4/19 - Former Cub Carlos Zambrano Faces Sioux City Explorers Over the Weekend—Sioux City Journal (Terry Hersom), 6/4/19 - MLB Buys Out Contract for Goldeyes Infielder—Winnipeg Free Press (Taylor Allen), 6/2/19 - D’Backs Purchase Contract of Goldeyes’ Infielder—Winnipeg Sun, 6/2/19 - Lachance Headed to Diamondbacks—Winnipeg Goldeyes (Steve Schuster), 6/1/19 - Fish Hooked on Hometown Hurler—Winnipeg Free Press (Taylor Allen), 5/30/19 - Veteran Goldeyes Coach Tom Vaeth Deserves Chance to be Manager Somewhere—Winnipeg Sun, 5/30/19

HARRIS, GOLDEYES COME BACK ON EXPLORERS STEVE SCHUSTER – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – MONDAY, JUNE 3rd WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (11-6) beat the Sioux City Explorers 7-6 in 10 innings at Shaw Park on Monday night.

The Goldeyes overcame four separate deficits before winning in the bottom of the 10th on a two-run single from James Harris. Trailing 7-6, Adrian Marin drew a full count, leadoff walk and advanced to second when Kevin Garcia was hit by a pitch. After Alex Perez laid down a sacrifice bunt, Harris hit a sharp groundball through the right side on an 0-2 count that plated the tying and winning runs.

“It’s big,” said Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney on the win. “We made some mistakes, and they tend to haunt you, but the guys battled and answered every time the Explorers scored. I know we’re banged up, but the guys are battling and playing hard.”

Marcus Crescentini (2-0) earned the win in relief for the Goldeyes while Matt Pobereyko (0-1) took the loss for the Explorers.

The Explorers (6-11) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Michael Lang singled home Dylan Kelly.

In the bottom of the sixth, Perez drew a leadoff walk, took second when Harris was hit by a pitch, and advanced to third on a deep flyball to centre from Josh Romanski. After Willy Garcia walked to load the bases, Tyler Fallwell relieved Explorers’ starting pitcher Zach Jemiola. On an 0-2 count, Wes Darvill lined a single to left that scored Perez and Harris to give Winnipeg a 2-1 lead.

The Explorers answered back in the top of the seventh. Lucas Bonfield and Kelly opened the inning with back-to-back walks. Christian Torres took over for Winnipeg and retired Kyle Wren on a popped up sacrifice attempt and Lang on a popup to second. Nate Samson tied the game with a two-out, line drive single to left. Jose Sermo followed with a groundball double down the left field line that scored two runs to make it 4-2 Sioux City.

The Goldeyes plated two runs in their half of the seventh to tie the score. Marin and Kevin Garcia reached on back-to-back infield singles. After Perez sacrificed the runners ahead, Harris reached on an infield single that scored Marin with the Goldeyes’ third run of the night. Two batters later, Willy Garcia singled sharply up the middle with two outs to score Kevin Garcia.

Sioux City took its third lead in the eighth on a two-out, RBI single from Bonfield.

In the bottom of the eighth, Dominic Ficociello doubled to left-centre leading off and went to third on a line drive single to right by Marin. Two batters later, Perez hit a groundball to shortstop that was misplayed by Samson and allowed Ficociello to score the tying run.

After both teams went scoreless in the ninth, the Explorers went ahead 6-5 in the 10th on a two-out, RBI single from Hunter Wood.

Ryan Johnson made his second professional start for Winnipeg and took a no-decision, allowing one earned run on five hits in six innings. Johnson walked five and struck out one.

Jemiola also took a no-decision, allowing two earned runs on one hit in five and one-third innings. Jemiola walked four and struck out two.

Sioux City reliever Jose Velez Jr. came within one pitch of an immaculate inning in the bottom of the ninth.

The series continues Tuesday morning at 11:05 a.m. Harrison Cooney (1-1, 6.55) faces right-hander Max Duval (1-2, 7.23). 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: JUNE 3rd GAME HIGHLIGHTS JASON YOUNG – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – MONDAY, JUNE 3rd LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bwT1F4TOWA

VIDEO: JUNE 3rd POSTGAME INTERVIEWS NIGEL BATCHELOR – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – MONDAY, JUNE 3rd LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMvbbo64Ilg

GOLDEYES DEAL X’S A GUT PUNCH LOSS CONNOR RYAN – SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS – MONDAY, JUNE 3rd Winnipeg, MB - The Winnipeg Goldeyes dealt the Sioux City Explorers a gut punch of a loss in the series opener of the four game set, walking it off in extra innings 7-6.

Sioux City opened the scoring In the third inning as three straight singles, punctuated by Michael Lang’s RBI single bringing home Dylan Kelly to make it 1-0 Sioux City.

That’s the way the score would stay for awhile as Zach Jemiola turned in his best performance for the Explorers this season. Jemiola took a no decision as he went five and a third innings, allowing only a single hit, and two runs and walked four while striking out two.

Winnipeg took the lead in the sixth after two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out. Wes Darvill drove home two runs with a single to left giving the Goldeyes the lead 2-1.

But Sioux City would answer in the 7th. Consecutive walks to Luke Bonfield and Kelly opened up the inning. After two outs it seemed as though the X’s would forfeit a golden opportunity. But Nate Samson came up clutch with a two out single to tie the game 2-2. Jose Sermo not to be out done immediately followed with a double scoring two and Sioux City took a 4-2 lead.

But Winnipeg struck back in the bottom half of the frame. Using a pair of infield singles to get two men aboard and into scoring position. James Harris brought home a run with another infield single to cut the X’s lead to one run. And a base hit by Willy Garcia tied the game 4-4.

The see-saw battle continued into the eighth inning when Drew Stankiewicz doubled to lead off the inning. With two outs it was the rookie Bonfield who came up clutch for the X’s lining one to left and giving the X’s the lead.

But Winnipeg battled back with their own lead off double by Dominic Ficocielli, a base hit made it runners on the corners with one out. But an error on what could have been a double play ball proved costly allowing the tying run to score.

No one would score in the ninth bringing the game to extra innings tied 5-5. A lead off walk to Sermo followed by a sacrifice bunt and ground out had Sermo just ninety feet from giving the X’s a lead. Hunter Wood battled with Goldeyes reliever, Marcus Crescentini, fouling off four straight two strike pitches before putting one into right field scoring Sermo and seemingly giving Sioux City the winning run.

But again Winnipeg answered Sioux City. A lead off walk and a hit batter put the X’s behind the eight ball immediately. A sacrifice bunt moved both men into scoring position. And with the infield drawn in James Harris hit a ground ball to Stankiewicz that was too hot to handle and found its way into right field allowing both men to score as the Goldeyes walked it off.

The X’s will have a quick turnaround to try and put this game behind them as they will take on the Goldeyes in game two of the series on Tuesday at 11:05 AM.

VIDEO: CTV MORNING NEWS: ANDREW COLLIER INTERVIEW RACHEL LAGACE – CTV WINNIPEG – MONDAY, JUNE 3rd LINK: https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1697753

VIDEO: CTV MORNING NEWS: TEST YOUR PITCH SPEED RACHEL LAGACE – CTV WINNIPEG – MONDAY, JUNE 3rd LINK: https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1697779

VIDEO: CTV MORNING NEWS: CRAFT BEER CORNER RACHEL LAGACE – CTV WINNIPEG - MONDAY, JUNE 3rd LINK: https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1697816

GOLDEYES MIDDLE INFIELDERS GETTING IT DONE WINNIPEG SUN – TUESDAY, JUNE 4th The early returns on the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ defence have been very positive.

The Fish entered play Monday second in the American Association in team fielding percentage at .988, and had turned a league-best 20 double plays. Winnipeg’s infield completed five double plays during its series at Sioux Falls last weekend, two of which came in critical situations.

On Friday night, second baseman Alex Perez started an inning-ending double play that helped reliever Mitchell Aker escape a bases loaded, no-out jam. The Goldeyes were able to stay within one run of the Canaries, and went on to score twice in the ninth en route to an 11-10 win.

With runners on first and second and no outs during the ninth inning on Sunday, Adrian Marin initiated a double play from shortstop. Alay Lago singled home the tying run, and the Canaries eventually won in 10 innings, but Marin’s lightning-quick adjustment on a tough hop to his left nearly saved the day for Winnipeg.

“On that surface (in Sioux Falls), especially,” Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney lauded in regards to his infield defence in South Dakota. “We’ve got two guys in the middle of the field who have really good hands, really good feet, and they play with a quiet calmness to them no matter the situation. They don’t let the game speed up on them. They’re always under control, and that’s why they defend it so well.”

Improved defence was a top priority for Forney and longtime hitting coach Tom Vaeth. The Goldeyes finished ninth in fielding percentage last year, while committing the third-most errors.

Third baseman Wes Darvill is showing the same defensive prowess that helped earn him all-star honours at the position in 2017. The British Columbia native has started every game at the hot corner this year, and had been charged with only one error entering play Monday.

Kevin Lachance did an admirable job filling in at first base before his contract was picked up by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.

The Goldeyes’ projected quartet of infielders from the outset of spring training should finally be complete. Regular first baseman Dominic Ficociello has been listed as day-to-day, but returned to the starting lineup on Monday for the first time since May 25. Ficociello was named the best defensive first baseman in all of minor league in 2015.

CALL IT A MOMENTUM THING The Goldeyes were one out away from a 1-0, rubber match victory at Sioux Falls on Sunday.

The Canaries tied the game in the ninth and won it in the 10th to take the series.

Forney pointed out that Winnipeg had an opportunity to add to its lead in the top of the ninth, and failing to do so played just as much of a role in the outcome as the Canaries’ comeback in the bottom half of the inning. The Goldeyes had runners at second and third with one out before a pair of Sioux Falls relievers snuffed out the threat.

“If you don’t score in the half inning that you’re supposed to score, the next half inning the other team always seems to score,” said Forney.

“Just like when we won Friday night. They had the bases loaded and nobody out. Aker gets out of it, and we score the next half inning. We didn’t do what we needed to do on offence to give ourselves a bit of a cushion. It’s hard to win a 1-0 game on the road.”

FORMER CUB CARLOS ZAMBRANO FACES SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS OVER THE WEEKEND TERRY HERSOM – SIOUX CITY JOURNAL – TUESDAY, JUNE 4th SIOUX CITY -- On Saturday, in between pitching appearances both Friday and Sunday against the Sioux City Explorers, it was time for Carlos Zambrano to celebrate another birthday.

This one was No. 38 for the 6-5, 270-pound righthander from Venezuela, known far and wide as the former ace of the Chicago Cubs’ pitching staff.

Exactly 12 years earlier, on June 1, 2007, so much of what Zambrano had accomplished, so many headline-making performances, were all but washed away by one more headline that became difficult for most baseball fans to disregard.

It was on his 26th birthday, a fact I’d not remembered, that Zambrano and teammate Michael Barrett engaged in a violent throw-down in the dugout at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs were on their way to their fifth loss in a row when the Atlanta Braves scored five times in the top of the fifth after taking advantage of an error and a passed ball by Barrett. And, since Barrett had become a backup catcher at this stage of a 12-year major league career, the focus was on the all- star pitcher.

Zambrano became the bad guy in this story, even though it was Barrett who just two weeks later engaged pitcher Rich Hill in another argument that led to the catcher’s departure via trade to the . Zambrano, meanwhile, shook off what had been a rocky start to the season, winding up 18-13 with a 3.95 ERA while finishing fifth in the voting for the National League Cy Young Award.

The Cubs, who had dipped to 22-30 with the June 1 loss, also righted their ship, posting an 85-77 record that won them an NL Central Division title. Proof the controversial pitcher wasn’t the clubhouse problem this incident made him out to be: He remained with the Cubs through the 2011 season and then pitched for the Marlins in 2012, his final MLB campaign.

This resurfacing with the American Association’s Chicago Dogs isn’t the first action he’s seen since then. Zambrano pitched two more years in the minor leagues and then restarted his career last year in Mexico. This year, rather than go south again, he opted to give this second-year independent team a whirl rather than go south for another summer.

He has transitioned to relief pitching because “one manager from the big leagues told me they have a lack of relievers.’’

“No more (being a) starter for me,’’ he told the Chicago Tribune. “One inning or two innings. It’s better for me. I did it in Venezuela pretty good in winter ball when they put me in the bullpen.’’

Zambrano, who has lost 35 pounds over the last year, hopes to shake the reputation that his fight with Barrett helped create.

“I don’t want people to remember me for what I did bad,’’ he said. “I want people to remember the good things I did, like when I won. Why remember things that are in the past? We all make mistakes. We all are human and I know I made mistakes.

“I don’t want to be remembered as a hothead. I want to be remembered as a guy who wants to win and help his team.’’

The two weekend outings against the Explorers hiked Zambrano’s numbers to six appearances and a 3.68 earned run average with the Dogs. He gave up a run to Sioux City on Sunday, when the X’s prevailed 4-1 and snapped a seven-game Chicago winning streak. The team plays its games at 6,800 Impact Field in Rosemont, 12 miles northwest of Wrigley and just a mile or so from O’Hare Field.

Despite the Sunday setback, the Dogs remained first in the Association’s six-team North Division, sporting a league-best 10-6 record under former Boston Red Sox manager Butch Hobson. They’ve wasted little time becoming competitive.

In a 12-year major league career, Zambrano went 132-91 with a 3.66 ERA, striking out 1,637 batters in 1,959 innings. As many will recall, he was also one of the best-hitting pitchers in the game, posting a .238 career batting average with 24 home runs -- tied for the seventh-highest total by a big league pitcher.

Meantime, the Explorers made an 852-mile overnight bus ride to Winnipeg, where they opened a four-game series on Monday. Barring postponements, they’ll have played only seven times at home in their first 20 games when one of the more challenging road trips on their schedule concludes. A seven- game homestand against Fargo-Moorhead and Lincoln begins Friday.

In spite of a 2-8 start that marked their worst record 10 games into a season in their 27-year history, the X’s bid to defend their South Division flag remained well within reach. Since a very balanced early race in the South shows Cleburne in first place with a modest 9-8 ledger, Manager Steve Montgomery’s team was just 2.5 games behind prior to Monday.

And, Montgomery, who has led his teams to a league-leading 246-154 record over the last four seasons, has made it clear he’ll do whatever it takes to get this outfit back to .500 and beyond.

Proof of that began over a week ago when “Mongo” picked up fleet centerfielder Kyle Wren to bolster the leadoff spot in his lineup. Wren, a former Georgia Tech standout, has played nearly 400 games at the Class AAA level. Then, over the weekend, the X’s skipper made an effort to address two more early concerns.

One was at second base, where he wasn’t getting much offensive production from Nelson Ward, a former University of Georgia stalwart whose defense is sensational. Needing to generate more scoring, though, the manager picked up Arizona State product Drew Stankiewicz, who was released after five years in the Phillies’ farm system and a brief stint this spring with the Indians’ Class AA Akron affiliate.

The other personnel move involved the bullpen, which has fashioned a nifty 2.16 ERA through the first 16 games. With only one lefthanded pitcher on the staff and a vacancy created when the signed Anthony Bender, it was especially nice to fill that void with another southpaw. So, former UCLA hurler Max Schuh should fit in nicely.

In another development, slugging first baseman Dean Green, who is off to a slow start with a .244 batting average, has moved to the disabled list with a hamstring injury.

MLB BUYS OUT CONTRACT FOR GOLDEYES INFIELDER TAYLOR ALLEN – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – SUNDAY, JUNE 2nd The Winnipeg Goldeyes said goodbye to their hottest hitter on Saturday.

The team announced 24-year-old infielder Kevin Lachance had his contract purchased by Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lachance, who is from Clifton, Va., has been on a tear in his first season with the Goldeyes. He was named the American Association’s Batter of the Week in the first week of the season after starting the first three games going 5-for-7 at the plate. After 13 games, Lachance hit .372 with two home runs, 5 RBIs, three stolen bases, and a .509 on-base percentage. Third baseman Wes Darvill is now the only player on the team who is hitting over .300. He now leads the team at .309. The team has an overall .260 batting average after 14 games.

Lachance is the 77th player in franchise history to have his contract purchased by a Major League organization. The last was reliever Dylan Thompson, who had his contract purchased by the Boston Red Sox right before the 2019 season started.

Lachance was drafted in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent last year with the Frontier League’s Lake Erie Crushers, but was limited to 37 games due to an injury.

The Fish were atop the American Association standings with a 10-4 record heading into Saturday night’s road game against the Sioux Falls Canaries.

D’BACKS PURCHASE CONTRACT OF GOLDEYES’ INFIELDER WINNIPEG SUN – SUNDAY, JUNE 2nd Goldeyes’ infielder Kevin Lachance had his contract purchased by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday morning.

Lachance was hitting .372 with two home runs, seven RBI, three stolen bases, and a .509 on-base percentage in 13 contests.

“No doubt, he’s very deserving,” said Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney. “He’s very professional for a young player. He came in and worked hard every day, played hard every day, and worked himself into the top of the lineup. He was giving us our five most consistent at bats every night. He’s still young, he’s got a lot of versatility, and he’s earned an opportunity. We’re happy for him.”

The Virginia native is the second player the Goldeyes have moved on to a Major League organization since the beginning of spring training. Right- handed pitcher Dylan Thompson was picked up by the Boston Red Sox just six days into camp, and has already made four starts for the High-A Carolina League’s Salem Red Sox.

It was quite the meteoric rise for Lachance, whose 2018 season in the Frontier League was cut short in June due to an injury.

Forney acquired Lachance in a trade last November, but the rookie was brought to camp with no guarantees. Lachance earned a roster spot after scoring seven runs in seven exhibition games, while demonstrating positional versatility.

Expected to fill a utility role, Lachance forced his way into the starting lineup by the third game of the season and never looked back.

Over the past week, Lachance served as the Goldeyes’ leadoff hitter, a difficult task for a young player in a veteran-laden league like the American Association. Lachance diversified his skill set even further by playing first base for the first time as a pro.

ON THE BOARD With regular catcher Kevin Garcia battling illness, rookie backstop Cody Young has started each of the past three games.

The true rookie from Bryan College collected his first career professional hit on Friday at Sioux Falls. During his second at bat, Young pulled a sharp groundball single through the left side of the infield against Canaries’ reliever Mark Seyler.

AKER PULLS HOUDINI ACT Amid the craziness of Friday’s 11-10 win over the Sioux Falls Canaries — a game in which the Goldeyes watched a 9-1 lead slip away, only to rally back in the top of the ninth — was the performance of rookie reliever Mitchell Aker.

The third-year professional, who saved 19 games for the Frontier League’s Evansville Otters last year, walked the first three hitters he faced in the bottom of the eighth before escaping the jam unscathed on an infield fly popup and a groundball double play.

Aker’s magic trick kept the Goldeyes within one run, and ultimately paved the way for their game-winning comeback in the ninth.

Victor Capellan, Marcus Crescentini, and Christian Torres have covered the late innings of close games early this season, but Forney has been looking for some of his younger relievers to show they are capable of handling high-leverage situations as well.

“At some point you’ve got to take the training wheels off,” said Forney. “They’re going to have to learn how to pitch in those situations. At times, you can lean on the same people, but it’s not always fair to them because there’s going to be days where your ‘go-to’ guys are going to give up runs. You can’t sour on them, because you’re constantly putting them in those situations, so you need some of these young kids to step up.”

LACHANCE HEADED TO DIAMONDBACKS STEVE SCHUSTER – WINNIPEG GOLDEYES – SATURDAY, JUNE 1st WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes announced Saturday that the Arizona Diamondbacks have purchased the contract of infielder Kevin Lachance.

Lachance hit .372 with eight runs scored, three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, 12 walks, three stolen bases, and a .509 on-base percentage in 13 games. Earlier this season, the Clifton, Virginia native was named the American Association’s first Batter of the Week for 2019.

The Goldeyes acquired Lachance from the Frontier League’s Lake Erie Crushers last November. Lachance becomes the 77th player in Goldeyes’ history to have his contract sold to a Major League organization, and the third during the 2019 calendar year.

Lachance was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 10th round in 2016 out of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The 24-year-old Lachance is the Retrievers all-time leader in stolen bases, and helped the Rookie Pioneer League’s Ogden Raptors win a championship during his rookie professional season in 2017. Last year, Lachance posted a .342 on-base percentage for Lake Erie, and was 10-for-11 in stolen base attempts before his season was cut short due to injury.

The Goldeyes play game two of a three-game series against the Sioux Falls Canaries tonight. First pitch from Sioux Falls Stadium is at 6:05 p.m. All the action can be heard locally on 93.7 FM CJNU and worldwide at www.cjnu.ca Coverage begins at 5:00 p.m. with Around the Association.

The Goldeyes return home on Monday for a seven-game homestand when they host the Sioux City Explorers 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

FISH HOOKED ON HOMETOWN HURLER TAYLOR ALLEN – WINNIPEG FREE PRESS – THURSDAY, MAY 30th Ryan Johnson looked right at home on the pitching mound at Shaw Park on Wednesday night.

But it had nothing to do with the fact the left-handed pitcher is from Winnipeg and had more than 30 friends and family members in attendance watching him make his professional baseball debut for his hometown team.

Johnson was signed by the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Wednesday morning and they wasted no time putting him to use. The 26-year-old, who recently finished his college career at Lubbock Christian University, an NCAA Division II school, became the first Winnipeg-born player to suit up for the Fish since pitcher Donnie Smith’s final season in 2006.

Johnson was given the start Wednesday night against the Gary SouthShore RailCats, and he looked nothing like a rookie facing professional hitters for the first time.

The 6-5, 216-pound Johnson, a former member of Manitoba’s provincial under-17 team, led the Goldeyes to a 3-1 victory over Gary. The Sturgeon Heights Collegiate grad lasted six and two-thirds innings, giving up zero runs on two hits with three strikeouts and three walks to earn his first win as a professional.

"I grew up here. I went to the park a whole bunch," Johnson said after the game. "Heck, my grandpa still has season tickets. To come in here and get such a warm welcome, I haven’t been back playing in Winnipeg for a couple years now. It’s been amazing to get the applause that I had and the support I had from everyone. It was awesome."

Johnson threw his first pitch a couple feet short of home plate and gave up a double to the second batter he faced. But from there, Johnson settled down and was calm, cool and collected the rest of the evening.

"I wasn’t nervous until I actually went onto the mound. And then they announced everyone and I felt a little shaky, but nothing crazy," said Johnson, who went 13-2 with a 2.54 ERA in 16 starts as a senior at Lubbock Christian.

"But I knew if I could throw strikes, I could get this job done. There was confidence in that regard. But nothing can really prepare you to come out to a home crowd and hear a nice, big applause."

Goldeyes manager Rick Forney raved about the debut of his newest pitcher.

"It doesn’t get any better than that, does it? He’s coming off of an unbelievable season in college at Lubbock Christian," Forney said.

"A great level of baseball he played there, and obviously showed his pitching ability. You really don’t know what you’re going to get in your first pro game. It’s really unsettling and it’s hard to get comfortable out there and then to try and do it in this kind of environment with your hometown folks here watching. You can tell he was having fun and he was enjoying the moment out there and wasn’t really overwhelmed. It was just really impressive to watch the kid’s pitching ability."

Forney heard about Johnson through Amos Ramon, who played third base for the Goldeyes in 2006 and again from 2011-2013. Ramon and Johnson became friends through senior ball and coaching a bit together.

"I’ve never seen the kid throw before. Amos Ramon got me that guy," Forney said. "(Ramon) reached out and asked if I was looking for a rookie lefty. And I said, ‘Heck yeah. Everybody is looking for a good rookie lefty.’ He told me who he was, I looked him up and I didn’t hesitate. We flew him in, he got in Sunday morning, threw a bullpen (session) and I was really impressed, and then he took it into the game today."

Johnson’s college season ended May 17, and he hasn’t had much time to rest. Forney said he likes what he’s seen from Johnson so far, but he knows he will likely have to manage his workload moving forward.

"It’s going to be a little different story. The kid’s thrown over a hundred innings in college — that’s a lot," Forney said.

"That throws another little wrench into the plan because you’ve got to manage that workload a little bit. I don’t know what he’s capable of. It may force me into a situation where I have to spot start somebody just to give him some extra time in between. I don’t know. I guess the big thing is we’ll see how it goes the next time out and if the ball comes out of his hand the same way. You want to make sure they’re still able to compete in this league, but you want to keep them healthy at the same time. We’ll see.

"He’s earned another opportunity, that’s for sure."

It wasn’t the best night at the plate for the Fish, but they did enough to help Johnson get the win. Veteran outfielder Reggie Abercrombie hit a solo home run in the first inning and outfielder Willy Garcia hit a two-run blast in the sixth inning.

However, the Goldeyes’ bullpen almost blew Johnson’s memorable night in the ninth inning. Reliever Marcus Crescentini had a 3-0 lead to work with, but he walked two batters and gave up a double to put Gary on the scoreboard. Crescentini was yanked for closer Victor Capellan, who was supposed to have the night off after he got the save on Tuesday. Capellan cleaned up the mess and closed out the side to pick up his fifth save of the season. The Goldeyes and Gary both finished the night with four hits.

Abercrombie also made history on the night, as the 38-year-old played in his 694th career American Association game, which set a new league record.

With the win, the Goldeyes improved to 9-3 and Gary fell to 5-6.

The three-game series wraps up at Shaw Park today with an 11 a.m. start.

VETERAN GOLDEYES COACH TOM VAETH DESERVES CHANCE TO BE MANAGER SOMEWHERE WINNIPEG SUN – THURSDAY, MAY 30th It’s time for Tom Vaeth to get his shot.

The longtime Winnipeg Goldeyes’ hitting coach is ready for his first managerial position.

Now in his 17th year with the organization, Vaeth was in serious consideration for two openings this past off-season.

The Baltimore, Md., native interviewed with the Atlantic League’s Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and the American Association’s Cleburne Railroaders.

Vaeth was all but offered the Cleburne job, and was even told to prepare to fly to Texas for an introductory press conference.

A last-minute change of mind by Cleburne’s ownership pulled the rug out from underneath Vaeth, who has helped the Goldeyes make 10 playoff appearances and win three championships since first arriving in 2003.

Independent baseball exists to help its constituents move on to the next level. As a result, there is a natural tendency to seek on-field leadership that has reached the major leagues as either a player or manager. Vaeth never played baseball professionally.

There is something to be said, however, that Doug Simunic, Rick Forney and Greg Tagert have combined to win 12 Northern League or American Association championships.

Despite a combined zero games played or coached at the major league level, that trio has accounted for nearly half of the titles won since the rebirth of independent baseball in 1993.

American Association executive director Josh Buchholz, who worked alongside Simunic for many years as general manager of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, understands that prior experience at the highest level is not a prerequisite for success in independent baseball.

“Independent baseball is a different beast,” said Buchholz. “It’s not so much where you’ve been, but the contacts you’ve made, and the ability to identify talented players that fit into your roster parameters and ballpark. You don’t need any playing experience at high levels to be able to put rosters together or to be a good manager. Those things can be learned in different ways, and to say that you need to play or manage in major league baseball to be a successful manager in this league is simply not the truth.”

In terms of active staff members in the American Association, Vaeth is the longest-tenured after Forney and St. Paul Saints’ skipper George Tsamis. The Goldeyes offence has finished in the top-five in their league in runs scored 11 times over the past 16 years with Vaeth as hitting coach.

The 46-year-old routinely makes himself available to Goldeyes’ hitters for one-on-one instruction, sometimes two or three hours before standard batting practice times.

The Goldeyes’ 11-4 victory in Game 5 of the 2016 American Association Championship Series is largely credited to a game plan Vaeth devised while poring through hours of video as the team made the 14-hour bus ride from Winnipeg to Wichita between Games 2 and 3.

“Tom is by far one of the best things to have happened in my career,” said Goldeyes’ centre fielder Reggie Abercrombie, who homered twice and had seven RBI during Game 5 in 2016. “I had the opportunity to make it to the big leagues because of talent, but I think I could have stayed in the big leagues longer with the things I’ve learned from Tom. If you want him to throw ‘BP’ at one in the morning or one in the afternoon, Tom is always there.”

“I see him managing a long time,” Abercrombie added. “It’s well overdue. You put in work to get where you want to be in life, and he’s put in more work than a lot of people. He hasn’t got the opportunity yet, but it’s about time. If he gets the opportunity, he’ll make a great manager.”

In addition to his duties as hitting coach, Vaeth has assisted Forney in player recruitment for the better part of the last decade.

The team-building process is essential for on-field success, and independent baseball insiders consider it far more important than in-game, tactical management.

“The key component is always a strong player personnel department,” said Buchholz. “Running the game tends to take care of itself, but at the end of the day, talent will typically carry you to victories. To get that talent, you have to have strong player personnel decision-making.”

All-Star third baseman Wes Darvill is just one of many prominent Goldeyes Vaeth has brought to Winnipeg. Among this year’s recruits, Vaeth helped sway Dominic Ficociello and Parker French, both of whom have reached double-A or higher in their affiliated careers.

“I have no reservations about managing innings one through nine,” said Vaeth. “I’ve had some good mentors and learned a lot. Obviously, I’ve done a lot over the years of getting more involved in player signings, building relationships with agents that a manager has to have. Building contacts with major league organizations and managers in other leagues so you can make potential trades.”

Like Abercrombie, Buchholz feels Vaeth is primed for success if finally given the chance.

“I know Tom has been an invaluable resource for Rick,” said Buchholz. “They’ve worked very well together, and built some very strong clubs. Three championships speaks volumes for what he’s able to bring to the table. Someone just needs to give him a serious opportunity. He’s proven that he can be a valuable player personnel guy. There’s no reason why he wouldn’t be successful as a manager in independent baseball.”

Vaeth was understandably disappointed after what transpired with the Railroaders, but the avid fisherman is focused on doing what he can to help the Goldeyes return to the postseason.

“It’s a little deflating looking back and knowing I’m in the same spot I was 17 years ago,” said Vaeth. “I’ve loved my time here, and I’ve loved being a part of bringing championships to Winnipeg, but I feel like it’s time to get out and do other things. Until then, it’s business as usual, and I’m going to do everything I can to help put our guys in a position to be successful on the field.”