Goldeyes bats fall silent as Cougars capture American Association championship

They showed plenty of fight, but ultimately the Winnipeg Goldeyes just didn’t have enough bite when they needed it most.

As a result, it was the Kane County Cougars who reeled in an American Association championship on Tuesday night at Blue Cross Park. The visitors from Illinois beat the Fish 5-3 in front of 5,828 fans to sweep the best-of-five series.

You can mark the Miles Wolff Cup as a disappointing swing-and-a-miss for Winnipeg, which was seeking a fifth title in franchise history and seemed to be firing on all cylinders at the perfect time. Instead, the bats went silent and proved to be their undoing.

“Fight has never been a question with these guys. We were in every single game this year,” manager Logan Watkins told the Free Press in a subdued Winnipeg clubhouse.

Goldeyes GM named AA Executive of the Year

Winnipeg Goldeyes general manager Andrew Collier has been been named the Executive of the Year by the American Association. The award comes after a season in which his Fish rebounded from a last-place finish in the West Division to finish on top with a 56-43 recorded under first-year skipper Logan Watkins, who was named manager of the year last week. Collier, now in his 23rd year at the helm of the Goldeyes, previously won the award in 2014 in the American Association, and in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2009 in the now-defunct Northern League. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS […]

Goldeyes need to pack offensive punch after 1-0 loss Sunday

For the Winnipeg Goldeyes, it was a case of far too little and much too late.

And now the club’s championship hopes are hanging by a thread following heartbreaking one-run losses this weekend to the Kane County Cougars.

A 2-1 defeat on Saturday night in 11 innings was followed up with a 1-0 setback on Sunday afternoon.

The best-of-five series now shifts to Winnipeg for the duration, with the Goldeyes needing to win three straight elimination contests starting Tuesday evening. Games 4 and 5, if needed, would go Wednesday and Thursday at Blue Cross Park.

Speedy Upshaw scores decisive run as Cougars beat Fish in extra innings

Speed kills in baseball.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes were reminded of that Saturday night as they suffered a tough 2-1 loss in extra innings to kick off the American Association Miles Wolff Cup Final.

Both runs scored by the Kane County Cougars in front of 1,616 hometown fans at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva, Ill., were sparked by the fast feet of outfielder Armand Upshaw.

The 28-year-old, who led his team with 32 stolen bases in the regular season, got the Cougars on the board in the first inning after walking, swiping second, advancing to third on a throwing error and coming home on a sacrifice fly from teammate and fellow outfielder Cornelius Randolph.

Winnipeg Goldeyes evenly matched with Cougars in AA Championship series

There is guaranteed to be a joyous celebration at some point next week down at Blue Cross Park.

The only question yet to be answered: Will it be the Winnipeg Goldeyes or Kane County Cougars popping champagne and raising the Miles Wolff Cup as champions of the American Association?

The best-of-five series gets underway this weekend in Illinois for Games 1 (Saturday, 6:30 p.m.) and 2 (Sunday, 1 p.m.) before shifting north for the duration. Winnipeg, by virtue of a 56-43 regular-season record, gets home-field advantage against Kane County (55-45), with Games 3 set for Tuesday night and Games 4 and 5, if necessary, going Wednesday and Thursday. All games can be viewed online for free at www.aabaseball.tv.

This is the first playoff meeting between the two franchises. Winnipeg is seeking a fifth title, but first since 2017. Kane County will be trying to add a third, but first since 2014.

Goldeyes punch ticket to American Association final with clutch victory over Redhawks

The Winnipeg Goldeyes are going trophy fishing.

A clutch 3-1 victory over the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks on Thursday night at Blue Cross Park sends the squad to the American Association championship final for the first time in seven years.

They’ll face the Kane County Cougars in a best-of-five series that goes Saturday and Sunday in Illinois and then shifts back to Winnipeg for the duration, with Game 3 next Tuesday night at the downtown diamond and Games 4 and 5, if necessary, the following two nights.

This winner-takes-all between two fierce rivals in front of 2,646 fans wasn’t for the faint of heart.

Goldeyes blow golden opportunity

The Winnipeg Goldeyes were so close they could taste it. Just four outs away, in fact.

An inability to build on an early lead against a desperate opponent proved costly on Wednesday night as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks rallied late for a 5-3 victory at Blue Cross Park in front of 4,745 spectators.

That evens up the best-of-three West Division Final and forces a winner-take-all contest on Thursday at the downtown diamond, with first pitch happening at 6:30 p.m.

At stake is a trip to the American Association Final, a best-of-five series which starts Saturday. The Kane County Cougars, who play out Geneva, Ill., are the East Division champions after sweeping their series against the Chicago Dogs.

Goldeyes’ Watkins named American Association manager of the year

Logan Watkins has been named the American Association’s manager of the year following a remarkable resurgence for the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

The first-year skipper led the club to a 56-43 record during the regular-season, good for top spot in the West Division. Winnipeg is one win away from advancing to the league’s championship series. They lead the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks 1-0 in a best-of-three divisional final and can close it out Wednesday evening at Blue Cross Park.

“Logan is a very special and unique manager and is definitely deserving of this honour,” Goldeyes president Sam Katz said Tuesday in a news release.

“Being as young as he is, he can relate to the players and has their respect since he played in both the Major Leagues and the American Association. He is a very decisive individual who does not procrastinate when it comes time to make a difficult choice. Every decision he makes on and off the field is to give the Goldeyes the best chance to win, and his players know and respect that”

10-3 rout advances Goldeyes to the West Division Final

It took the Winnipeg Goldeyes a while to get going in their three-game playoff series against the Sioux Falls Canaries. Nearly too long, in fact.

But once they did, there was no turning back. Or stopping them.

Now the Fish are flying into the second round after staving off elimination twice this weekend in convincing fashion while playing in the friendly confines of Blue Cross Park.

A 7-3 come-from-behind victory on Friday night was followed by a 10-3 rout on Saturday evening.

Goldeyes force game 3 with thrilling comeback win over Sioux Falls

Turns out some home cooking — mixed with a healthy dose of desperation — was just what the Winnipeg Goldeyes needed to keep their season alive.

A 7-3 come-from-behind victory on Friday night over the Sioux Falls Canaries in front of 4,700 fans levels the best-of-three playoff series at 1-1 and sets the stage for a winner-take-all Game 3 on Saturday evening, which will also go down at Blue Cross Park.

After dropping the opener on Wednesday night in South Dakota by a 5-0 score, the Fish didn’t exactly come flying out of the gate in this elimination contest. The Canaries struck for a run in the top of the first inning, and could have added a few more as they ultimately left the bases loaded against Goldeyes starter Landon Bourassa.

Winnipeg tied it up in the bottom of the second as designated hitter Edwin Arroyo singled home catcher Rob Emery. After 11 scoreless innings to start the post-season, the Goldeyes were finally on the board.

Slow start ancient history as Fish face Canaries in first round of playoffs

It’s fair to say the Winnipeg Goldeyes have set a rather high standard.

Scan the entire landscape of North American professional baseball — from MLB all the way down to the independents — and you’ll find the Fish trail only the mighty New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers in terms of the number of winning seasons since an umpire first yelled “Play Ball” down at the old Winnipeg Stadium in 1994.

That’s some stellar company to be keeping. In addition to those 25 campaigns above .500 there have been 21 playoff appearances and four championships for the local nine.

However, sports is very much a “what have you done for me lately” business and the answer around here in recent years has been “Not much.” The Goldeyes have missed the American Association post-season in five of the past six seasons and bowed out quickly and quietly in their lone appearance during what’s been a mostly forgettable stretch.

Weekend with the Goldeyes features big crowds, dogs and celebrities, but no victories

A fun weekend at Blue Cross Park saw the ballpark filled with dogs, actor appearances and large crowds — the only thing missing was a Winnipeg Goldeyes win.

Baseball-wise, Goldeyes fans did not have much to cheer about, as the Fish fell 5-4 to the Sioux City Explorers who completed the series-sweep Sunday afternoon in front of 5,746 fans in attendance. Over the entire weekend, 16,840 fans made it out to Blue Cross Park.

“We could have capitalized a lot more,” said Rob Emery, who had two RBI in the loss. “So just didn’t make the most of our opportunities offensively. Just got to be better as a group collectively with the bat. We’re just looking forward.”

The Explorers were first to get across the plate with a run-by second-baseman Nick Shumpert, giving his squad an early 1-0 lead at the top of the second.

A fetching good time: Eighth annual dog-friendly Goldeyes game draws animal lovers

Four-legged baseball fans and their doting humans filled Blue Cross Park Aug. 17 for the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ eighth annual “Bark in the Park” novelty-themed game.