Martin ties Goldeyes' single-season HR record with walk-off shot
September 1, 2021
By Steve Schuster
Winnipeg Goldeyes
WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Goldeyes (49-45) beat the Chicago Dogs 6-5 at Shaw Park on Wednesday night.
Tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Kyle Martin ripped a solo home run to right-centre field that won the game. The home run was Martin’s 29th of the season, tying the Goldeyes’ single-season record set by Sean Hearn in 1998 and matched by Juan Diaz in 2009. It was also Martin’s second walk-off home run of the year.
Chicago (59-36) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a two-out, RBI single up the middle from Joey Terdoslavich.
Kevin Lachance led off the bottom of the fourth with a double down the left field line. Three batters later, Amos Ramon lined a two-out single to right-centre that scored Lachance with the tying run.
The Dogs retook the lead in the top of the fifth when Kay doubled home Brennan Metzger. After Danny Mars singled, Chicago had first and third with no outs, but Goldeyes’ starter Dylan Burns retired KC Hobson on a popfly to right. Burns then struck out Terdoslavich as part of a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play in which Kay was caught between third and home.
In the bottom of the fifth, Max Murphy was hit by a pitch with one out and took second when Martin walked. Deon Stafford doubled down the right field line to score Murphy with the tying run. After a Dogs’ pitching change, Lachance plated Martin with a sacrifice fly to deep left.
Winnipeg added two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Murphy singled to centre leading off and advanced to third on a Martin double down the right field line. Two batters later, and following another pitching change, Lachance smacked a two-run double down the right field line that made it 5-2 Goldeyes.
The Dogs rallied to tie the game in the eighth on an RBI single from Metzger and a two-run single from Kay.
Donnie Hart (1-1) picked up the win in relief with one and two-thirds scoreless innings. Ryan Clark (0-2) took the loss in relief for Chicago.
Burns took a no-decision, allowing two earned runs on eight hits in five and one-third innings. Burns walked three and struck out four.
Kyle Murphy started for the Dogs and also took a no-decision, allowing three earned runs on four hits in four and one-third innings. Murphy walked four and struck out four.
Tyler Smith struck out both batters to face him to escape a first and third jam with one out in relief of Burns in the top of the sixth. Travis Seabrooke (Peterborough, Ont.) pitched a scoreless top of the seventh.
The series concludes Thursday evening at 6:35 p.m. Lethbridge, Alta., native Landen Bourassa (3-0, 2.25) faces left-hander Shane Barringer (2-0, 1.57).