fmredhawks.com

FARGO, ND — Carlos Garcia hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the eleventh inning to lift the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks to an 11-9 victory over the Winnipeg Goldeyes Saturday night at Newman Outdoor Field. The game between the two North Division rivals lasted four and a half hours before the home side prevailed in the end. 

Michael Tamburino started the game on the mound for the RedHawks, searching for his eighth win of the season. After giving up a run in the first inning, Tamburino was lights out for the rest of the evening, tossing five innings, giving up one run on three hits, walking one Goldeye, and striking out five. 

After falling behind early, Fargo-Moorhead responded with three runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth to jump out to a 5-1 lead. Winnipeg fought back with two runs in the seventh, one in the eighth, and two more in the ninth to take a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth. The RedHawks managed to tie the game on a Leo Pina RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings.

Winnipeg scored three runs in the eleventh inning, but if the ‘Hawks have proven anything over the past week and a half, it’s that they’re never out of a game. The bottom of the eleventh began with a Devan Ahart single, his sixth hit of the game — which ties the American Association single-game record. Pina and Correlle Prime got on base as well, loading the bases with two outs. Brian Olson hit a 2-RBI double to cut the deficit to a single run before Garcia ended the game in dramatic fashion with his three-run home run that the breeze carried just past the left field wall.

Tonight’s win means the RedHawks will remain at least 3.5 games ahead of St. Paul for first place in the North division, and 5.5 ahead of Chicago. The Dogs and the Saints were still in progress at press time here in the RedHawks’ press box.

The RedHawks and Goldeyes will resume their series on Sunday afternoon at Newman Outdoor Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

BOX SCORE