June 7: Long’s Three-Run Bomb, 10-game hitting streak, give Goldeyes 5-4 win over Schaumburg

Wes Long doesn’t think about hitting streaks. In fact, the Goldeyes shortstop looks at hitting much more simply – one at-bat at a time.

Yesterday afternoon, however, it was his second trip to the plate that made the difference. With Vince Harrison and Josh Asanovich on base, Long belted a three-run homer to give Winnipeg a 5-0 advantage in the second inning. It not only kept a 10-game hitting streak alive, it also gave the Goldeyes enough runs to win their 10th game of the year.

With starter Chris Salamida pitching well (one run on five hits over seven full innings) and with Bobby Korecky shutting the door in the ninth (it was Korecky’s first save since joining the Goldeyes last week), the Fish overcame a shaky bullpen to hold on and beat the Schaumburg Flyers 5-4. With the victory, the Goldeyes improved to 10-7 and won a three game set with the Flyers at Canwest Park.

"I’m not thinking about any streak – unless it’s 40 games, that would be different," Long said with a laugh. "Right now I’m just trying to go up there every time and get a hit. I’m been doing pretty good just trying to swing at good pitches.

"I’m trying to separate every at bat and to concentrate on every pitch, each time I go up to the plate."

Whatever the plan, it’s working. Long went one-for-three with a walk, two runs scored and three driven in during yesterday’s win and even so, he watched his batting average dip a little to a still-awesome .388. He remains the Northern League leader in hitting and is among the league leaders in RBI (13), runs scored (11), doubles (7) and slugging percentage (.582). Pretty good for a middle infielder who bats in the leadoff spot.

And yet, Long isn’t satisfied. After missing the second half of last season with a broken ankle, the 27-year-old (he turns 28 this Saturday) from Seattle will admit he’s not yet at 100 per cent.

"My defence hasn’t been as good as it should be," Long said. "My footwork isn’t where it should be and I‘ve thrown the ball away a few times. I have to improve on that. I’m not close to the top level yet. I still have stuff to work on."

At 10-7, the Goldeyes are third in the Northern League, a game and a half back of first-place Kansas City. And it’s the T-Bones who come to town Monday night to start a four-game series at Canwest Park.

Photo: Shawn Coates

June 6: Forney Manages His 400th Game With the Goldeyes

On his first day as a manager, Rick Forney was nervous. These days, Forney takes every game in stride. Still, when you’ve reached a milestone as a manager at any level of baseball, it’s an emotional day.

And it will be an emotional day Sunday afternoon at Canwest Park, as Winnipeg Goldeyes field boss Rick Forney manages his 400th game.

“It’s gone by quick,” Forney told Paul Edmonds yesterday. “I guess there is something to be said for longevity.”

Forney was being modest. With a record of 219-179 and a .550 percentage he’s one of the most successful managers in the Northern League. He’s never failed to put up a winning record and he’s made the playoffs in all four years he’s been the Goldeyes manager.

And yet, back in 2006 when he took over the job from his mentor Hal Lanier, Forney was “nervous and emotional” when he finally took the Goldeyes onto the field at Canwest Park.

“It was really an emotional day,” Forney recalled. “The first one was against Hal (Lanier) and I’m still convinced that when Hal got that job in Joliet, the league did it (scheduled the Goldeyes and JackHammers to open the season) on purpose.

“But it was very emotional. It was my first day handing in a lineup card with my signature on it and it was against Hal, a guy I’d spent years sitting beside in the dugout learning how to do this job. Couldn’t have had a better teacher.”

Darwin Soto was the Goldeyes pitcher that day and even though he got hit hard, it seemed as if every line drive the JackHammers hit, the ball fell into a Goldeyes’ defender’s glove. The Goldeyes won the opener and went on to sweep the series.

“It was fun,” Forney said of that first weekend series. “We swept Joliet, but all weekend, I remember I was nervous.”

Now, almost 220 wins later, Forney has become very comfortable in his role. It’s his job now and while he still gets fired up for every game, the nervousness is gone.

“I’ve grown to feel that I’m pretty good at this,” Forney conceded. “I have an understanding of this league and the players who play in it. I love the job and I’m very lucky to get to do this every day.”

June 5: Bello Gets First Win, Brown Goes Deep. West Keeps Hitting, Goldeyes Beat Flyers 6-4

Winnipeg Goldeyes manager Rick Forney has made no bones about the fact he loves Antony Bello’s arm. As it gets more work, it appears as if Bello’s arm is starting to love Forney back.

Friday night at Canwest Park, Bello went five complete innings, throwing 63 pitches while allowing only two runs on four hits as he gained his first Northern League victory, a 6-4 Goldeyes win over the visiting Schaumburg Flyers.

"I’m starting to get it (his arm) stretched out," Bello said afterward. "It was a long bus trip back from Gary. I threw 63 pitches tonight. Hopefully I’ll throw 80 on Wednesday in my next start. Depends how the game goes, but I’m starting to feel really good."

Bello, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder from Miami, last started a game back in November of 2009 in the Florida Winter League. His last previous start was in September of 2008. From September of ’08 until his first start of the year with the Goldeyes back on May 22, Bello had a grand total of three starts.

But when coach Rudy Arias scouted Bello in Miami last winter, he saw a guy who could come in and be a quality starter in the Northern League. Every time out he seems to get better. Friday night he lowered his ERA to 4.97 and improved his record to 1-2.

"I’ve been impressed with the hitters in this league, they’re competitive hitters," he said. "They all swing the bat pretty well but they’re patient as well. They’re really competitive."

The hitting heroes for the Goldeyes last night were Wes Long, Dee Brown, Kevin West and Luis Alen. Long had three hits in four trips and scored two runs; Brown hit a 410-foot solo homer over the centerfield wall in the fifth; West went two-for-four with an RBI and raised his batting average to .353; and Alen had a two-run single in the fourth.

In all, the Goldeyes pounded out 11 hits as they improved to 9-6 on the season.

Game 2 of this three-game series goes Saturday night at 6 at Canwest Park. Dustin Glant will get the start for Schaumburg while Mark Holliman will take to the bump for the Fish. Tickets are available at the box office or by calling 982-2273.