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BROOK JONES \/ FREE PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Goldeyes starting pitcher Mitch Lambson<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I needed to go out there and give everything I had today for my team,\u201d Lambson told the Free Press.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg improved to 10-12 on the year while Sioux City fell to 10-13.<\/p>\n
Lambson, now in his seventh season with the Fish, entered play with a bloated 10.31 earned-run average through his first four starts. That\u2019s certainly not the expectation for a pitcher whose resum\u00e9 includes an all-star appearance just one year ago and the league\u2019s pitcher-of-the-year award in 2019.<\/p>\n
The 36-year-old, originally from California but now living full time in Winnipeg with his wife and young child, looked much more like his old self. He went 6 2\/3 innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits while striking out two on 90 pitches.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou got to see the real Mitch Lambson today, I believe,\u201d said closer Derrick Cherry, who picked up his fourth save of the season after recording the final six outs of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe struggled a little bit to start, but that\u2019s how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Winnipeg\u2019s rotation has taken a major hit in recent weeks, with Lambson and Luke Boyd the only two projected starters \u2014 out of five \u2014 currently available. Noah Millikan and Landen Bourassa recently had their contracts purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers and a Mexican League club, respectively. James Bradwell, who threw a no-hitter last year, is injured.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a great bullpen. Guys are stepping up and giving us a lot of innings so it\u2019s working out.\u201d<\/p>\n
So Lambson\u2019s gem was just what the doctor ordered for an ailing club that has been forced to lean heavily on its bullpen, with relievers Arij Fransen, Kevin Vaupel and Ryo Kohigashi all making starts during the past week.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great for the guys getting signed, but it\u2019s tough for us. So it\u2019s next man up,\u201d said Lambson. \u201cWe have a great bullpen. Guys are stepping up and giving us a lot of innings so it\u2019s working out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lambson improved to 2-3 while lowering his ERA to 8.28.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust trusting that I can locate and get people out with good location, that was the key today,\u201d said Lambson.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the defence was incredible. They were diving, making every play, throwing people out. They really gave me a lot of confidence to go out there and throw strikes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, this may have been Winnipeg\u2019s best defensive game of the season.<\/p>\n
Among the highlights:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Lambson teamed up with second baseman Keshawn Lynch to prevent a run in the third inning, beating the runner to first base after Lynch made a terrific scoop and delivered a perfectly timed throw.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder showed excellent range in the fourth, snagging a hot shot before pivoting and firing a strike to first.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Centre-fielder Noah Marcelo made a highlight-reel diving catch to open the fifth inning.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Lambson ended a threat in the sixth by catching a Sioux City runner leaning too far off second base, eventually leading to a rundown.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Right-fielder Max Murphy chased down a hard-hit ball in the corner before throwing out Zac Vooletich as he attempted to stretch a single into a double to lead off the eighth.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur defence has honestly played really well all season for us. I love having those guys behind me,\u201d said Cherry. \u201cIt gives you more confidence, just knowing you can let guys hit the ball and my teammates behind me are going to make plays.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the defence was incredible\u2026 They really gave me a lot of confidence to go out there and throw strikes.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was the case again in the ninth inning, when the Explorers threatened with runners on the corners and one out. Third baseman Ramon Bramasco made a diving stop on a ball that appeared destined for left field, then threw out the batter at first. Although the runner from third scored on the play, it prevented further damage.<\/p>\n
Cherry then got Vooletich \u2014 Sioux City\u2019s RBI leader with 22 \u2014 to fly out, leaving the tying run stranded at second base. The closer now sports a tidy 0.96 ERA through 9 1\/3 innings this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve got a lot of pesky hitters who put the bat on the ball. They made me work hard today,\u201d said Cherry, who threw a season-high 41 pitches.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg opened the scoring in the fourth inning when Marcelo led off with a double, advanced to third on a bunt and scored when Murphy\u2019s ground ball was bobbled by the shortstop.<\/p>\n
The Goldeyes added two more runs in the fifth. First baseman Roby Enriquez drew a leadoff walk and scored on Didder\u2019s RBI triple. Didder then came home on a sacrifice fly by catcher Kevin Garcia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great team win.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n
\t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Winnipeg stretched the lead to 4-0 in the sixth when Murphy drove in Lynch, who had opened the inning with a double.<\/p>\n Lambson began to run out of gas in the seventh, surrendering a leadoff home run to Sioux City first baseman Alberto Osuna. He recorded two outs but also allowed a pair of singles and a walk before turning things over to Quinn Waterhouse. One inherited runner came around to score before Waterhouse escaped the jam with a strikeout.<\/p>\n \u201cOur bullpen all around did great today,\u201d said Lambson. \u201cQuinn got me out of a jam there with a big strikeout, and then Derrick went out there and gave it everything he had. It was a great team win.\u201d<\/p>\n Winnipeg is now 3-4 on its season-long 10-game homestand, which resumes Tuesday when the Cleburne Railroaders arrive for a three-game series.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reporter
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