Goldeyes drop opener, despite strong performances from Bourassa, Warkentin
The Winnipeg Goldeyes lost 6-5 in 10 innings to the Cleburne Railroaders at La Moderna Field in their first game of the regular season on Thursday. Photo: Winnipeg Goldeyes
May 8, 2025
By Trevor Curl
Winnipeg Goldeyes
CLEBURNE, TEX. – The Winnipeg Goldeyes opened the 2025 American Association season with a 6-5, 10-inning defeat at the hands of the Cleburne Railroaders on Thursday at La Moderna Field.
On an overcast and breezy evening, Cleburne edged the Goldeyes in a tight battle that saw both teams going back-and-forth from the second inning on.
Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) received the Opening Day nod for the first time since pitching for the University of San Francisco and fired a six-inning quality start, allowing three runs on five hits, walking a batter and striking out four.
Gabe Klobosits threw 5 1/3 innings, also giving up three runs on four hits, walking three, and striking out three for the Railroaders.
Cleburne would cash in their first runs of the night in the bottom of the second on a Lamar Sparks’ two-run home run that cut through the 11 mile per hour wind and scored Steven Rivas to make the game 2-0.
Winnipeg would answer back in the top of the fourth inning to cut the deficit in half with a Mathew Warkentin (Windsor, Ont.) single scoring Ramón Bramasco from second to make the game 2-1.
The Railroaders got their two-run lead back in the bottom of the fifth inning on the first of Dustin Peterson’s two doubles on the night. With Shed Long on first base, Peterson hooked a skipping line drive past a diving Bramasco and Long scored with ease to make it 3-1.
The Goldeyes responded in the top of the sixth inning when Max Murphy came up to the dish with Ray-Patrick Didder aboard at second. Down two strikes, Murphy went the opposite way for his first home run of the 2025 season – a line drive that traveled 353 feet and left the bat at 100 mph. This chased Klobosits from the game and brought in Taylor Broadway who worked a scoreless 1 2/3 innings.
Murphy’s home run was his 88th as a member of the Goldeyes, leaving him two away from tying Josh Mazzola for second most round trippers in a Winnipeg uniform. Regie Abercrombie is the Goldeyes’ all-time leader with 94.
Ryder Yakel would make his first appearance in the bottom of the seventh inning. After retiring the leadoff batter, Korry Howell reached on a walk and was replaced at first base by pinch runner Cooper Weiss. Peterson hit his second double of the game to put runners on second and third with two out. Former Goldeyes first baseman Kyle Martin hit a 24-foot swinging bunt down the third base line and on a bang-bang play at first was called safe. Wiess scored, giving Cleburne the lead back at 4-3.
The Goldeyes responded again in the top of the eighth on a Max Murphy sacrifice fly scoring Bramasco from third to tie the game at 4-4. The run would be charged to Bryce Bronnin who walked Bramasco to lead off the frame.
Zeke Wood came in and worked a scoreless inning and a third to take it to the bottom of the ninth still tied.
In his professional debut, Will Sierra (Montreal, Que.) came in to face the ninth batter and the top hitters in the Railroaders’ lineup. After a hit-by-pitch to the first batter he saw, he left the winning run in scoring position to force extra innings.
In the top of the 10th inning, the Goldeyes’ courtesy runner was Kevin García who was lifted for Gustavo Sosa to run at second base. Kristian Scott would come into pitch for Cleburne for the start of extra innings. Andy Armstrong put down a sacrifice bunt to move the go-ahead runner to third. A wild pitch with two outs brought home the run to give the Goldeyes their first lead of the night at 5-4.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Trevor Brigden (North York, Ont.) came into pitch, inheriting Martin at second. With Aaron Altherr at the plate, the former big league hammered a slider into the left-centre field gap to give the Opening Day victory to the home crowd.
The teams meet again Friday evening at 7:06 in Cleburne for game two of the four-game set. JJ Echevarría will make his Goldeyes debut versus righty Blair Henley who gets the nod for the Railroaders.