Walk this way (to a big win)

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This article was published 24/08/2016 (2795 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes walked all over the generous Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks, turning a barrage of free bases into a blowout victory Thursday night.

RedHawks pitchers issued a staggering 11 walks in the first four innings of the game — including four with the bases loaded. And when they weren’t resting on the players’ shoulders waiting for an elusive strike, the Goldeyes bats were doing plenty of damage as well on their way to a 14-4 rout.

Fargo struck first as former Goldeyes star Josh Mazzola was hit by a pitch to start the second inning, then brought home by K.D. Kang’s double.

That would be the highlight of the night for the RedHawks, who won the first two games of the four-game series in Winnipeg before dropping the last two to the Goldeyes.

Winnipeg responded in the bottom of the second, as David Rohm singled and later scored on Wes Darvill’s team-leading fifth triple of the year.

Fargo starter Brian Ernst then completely lost the strike zone, walking four consecutive batters to bring home another pair of Goldeyes to put Winnipeg up 3-1.

The Goldeyes blew it open in the fourth, sending 15 batters to the plate and putting up 10 runs on six hits and six walks in a half-inning which took 31 minutes to play. Eight of those runs were scored with two outs.

Casio Grider smashed a bases-loaded double that scored three, Reggie Abercrombie had a two-run single, Willie Cabrera had a pair of run-scoring hits and Tanner Murphy drove in another with a double.

Fargo would get one back in the sixth, but Darvill added a solo home run in the seventh to make it 14-2.

Mazzola hit a solo home run in the eighth and the RedHawks added one more in the ninth to round out the scoring.

Goldeyes starter Duke von Schamann improved his record to 8-6 by going eight strong innings. He gave up just two earned runs on six hits, striking out four and issuing no walks.

Winnipeg (53-37) is now three games behind the St. Paul Saints (56-34) for first place in the American Association’s North Division with 10 games remaining in the season — including three in Minnesota next week.

The Goldeyes are two games ahead of Laredo for the wild-card playoff spot. The Lemurs have two games in hand but must finish ahead of Winnipeg, which owns the tiebreaker.

The Goldeyes welcome Sioux City into town for a three-game series beginning today at Shaw Park. The Explorers are in a tight race for first place in the league’s Central Division.

GAME STARS

1. Third baseman Wes Darvill: 2-for-4 with a homer, triple, three RBI.

2. Pitcher Duke von Schamann: eight innings, two earned runs, six hits, four strikeouts, no walks.

3. DH Willie Cabrera: 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI.

FISH HOOKS

● Attendance was 5,043 for “Turn Back the Clock” night at Shaw Park. The Goldeyes wore old-time uniforms and were brought to the field at the beginning of the game in classic cars.

● Goldeyes catcher Carlton Tanabe was available to pinch-hit Thursday after missing the previous two games with an injury. Jacob Rogers remains on the disabled list, but is eligible to be activated at any time. He has missed nine consecutive games.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca