The Winnipeg Goldeyes could only watch as the Kane County Cougars celebrated a championship right in the Goldeyes’ own backyard.
The Cougars captured the Miles Wolff Cup with a 5-3 victory over the Goldeyes on Tuesday in Game 3 of the championship series at Blue Cross Park. The Cougars ended the Goldeyes season with a three-game sweep in the best-of-five championship series.
Winnipeg had the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning, but Roby Enriquez grounded out to the pitcher to hand the Cougars the championship.
The Cougars won their first American Association title in just their fourth year in the league. They didn’t lose a single game in the entire playoffs, reeling off seven straight wins for three consecutive sweeps.
The Goldeyes didn’t have a lead the entire series after suffering a pair of one-run losses on the road to open the championship.
The Cougars outhit the Goldeyes 13-6 in Game 3 and had base runners in each of the first seven innings. Kane County took a two-run lead in the second inning, and added a third run in the fifth.
The Goldeyes didn’t have a single hit in the first three innings, but managed to tie the game at three apiece in the bottom of the sixth inning. But the Cougars immediately took the lead back with a two-run seventh inning and they shutout the Goldeyes the rest of the way.
Making his first start of the playoffs, Travis Seabrooke gave up nine hits and three runs in only four innings for Winnipeg. Zac Reininger took the loss after surrendering two runs in two innings out of the bullpen.
It was a standing room only crowd with nearly 6,000 fans in attendance to watch their team get eliminated.
Cougars outfielder Cornelius Randolph was named the finals MVP.
It was the first time the Goldeyes have been knocked out of the playoffs on home field since 2009 when they were still in the Northern League. They had won their previous five straight elimination games on home field.