The Calgary Vipers returned home and snapped a two game losing streak with a 13-7 victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes at Foothills Stadium in Calgary, Alberta. The Vipers sent 28 batters to the plate for all 13 runs on 13 hits in three innings to coast to the win. Manabu Kuramochi had a huge game going four-for-five with five runs batted in and three runs scored.
It was not until the bottom of the fourth inning that the first runs of the game were scored. Calgary put up four started by Kyle Nichols being hit by a pitch, Jorge Tang doubling, and Shaun Ashman walking to load the bases. Kuramochi followed by singling up the middle on the first pitch he saw for the two run lead. After a Drew Miler single, Nelson Castro hit a sacrifice fly, and Carlos Duncan capped the inning with a RBI base hit for the 4-0 lead.
Winnipeg responded right away with a run in the top of the fifth inning on four hits. Aaron McEachran started things with a double, Luis Alen singled, and Corey Stang knocked in the run with a base hit. Max Poulin also followed with a single but Alen was thrown out at the plate on the relay from Ashman to Jason Colson to Mitch Evans.
Calgary batted around for the second inning in a row in the bottom of the fifth with six more runs. Evans walked, Tang singled, and Ashman hit into what looked to be a inning ending double play but the ball was booted by Antoin Gray and the bases were instead loaded with only the one out. Kuramochi made the Goldeyes pay with his second two run single of the game and Miller clubbed a three run shot for his tenth of the season and the 9-1 lead. The homerun chased Winnipeg starter Ben Moore from the game and after Dan Ziegler came into the game he walked Duncan, gave up a hit to Colson, and a RBI single to Nichols for the tenth run against.
In the sixth the Goldeyes Brent Metheny and Walter Young smacked back-to-back homeruns for their 17th and 16th on the season respectively.
Young was back at it in the eighth inning with his second blast of the game and 17th of the year to make the score 10-4.
Three runs were added by the Snakes in the bottom of the eighth against Winnipeg's Ryan Ariail. Evans and Tang singled and Kuramochi doubled for his fifth run batted in of the game. After a Miller walk, Castro drove in a run with a single and Duncan did the same on a fielder's choice for the 13-4 score.
Those three runs were matched by Winnipeg off Calgary reliever Curtis Moenter in the ninth inning. Singles from Stang and Poulin along with a walk to Fehlandt Lentini loaded the bases. Demond Smith cashed one run with a base hit and Metheny knocked in two more on another single for the 13-7 ballgame.
Kazu Minami picked up his ninth win of the season going six and two third innings. Minami gave up three runs while not walking a sole and striking out four.
This series continues Saturday August 18th at 5:05 PM (MDT) and it is the Cardel Night Under the Stars with almost 200 youth at risk camping out under the stars in the outfield and watching movies on the ViperVision after the ballgame. On the morning of Sunday August 19th the kids will have a pancake breakfast, mini-training camp and watch the Vipers game at 1:35 PM (MDT). Tickets can be ordered by calling 277-BALL (2255). The games can be heard live online at
am770chqr.com.
The Vipers are already selling playoff tickets. The Northern League North Division Final opens in Calgary on Tuesday, September 4 and Wednesday, September 5. And the Vipers are also offering free parking for the Labour Day Classic between the Stampeders and Eskimos for any football fan who buys a Vipers playoff ticket.
