Slam knocks Schaumburg Flyers from Northern League playoffs

WINNIPEG, MB - Adam Frost's walk off grand slam in the ninth inning officially ended the Schaumburg Flyers' playoff hopes as the Winnipeg Goldeyes took game one late Friday night at CanWest Park by a final of 6-2.

Frost came on as a defensive replacement in the top of the ninth inning, and hit a two-out pitch down the left field line over the foul pole, close enough that the home run call drew vehement protests from the Flyers' dugout and manager Mike Busch.

The call stood and the walk off homer overshadowed excellent outings from both starters, Bear Bay for Winnipeg and Ryan Gehring for Schaumburg. Both pitchers went 7 innings, each giving up two earned runs, but neither factoring in the final decision.

The Flyers got on the board first against Bay with two runs in the fourth inning. Bay hit Victor Ferrante to lead off the inning, and Richard Mercado took the next pitch from Bay and deposited it down the left field line for a double, scoring Ferrante. A Lyndon Poole groundout moved Mercado to third, and an error off the glove of shortstop Mark Minicozzi allowed Mercado to score.

The lead lasted until the sixth, when Josh Asanovich led off with a single. Vince Harrison followed a Juan Diaz flyout with a two-run home run to tie the game 2-2, his fifth home run as a Goldeye in 11 games.

As the game moved into the later innings, the Flyers missed opportunities in the top of the eighth and ninth innings when they had two runners on with no one out in each inning. Bay was chased in the eighth, but Jordan Stewart struck out the side to end that threat. Chris Homer (2-3) allowed two leadoff singles before retiring the next three batters in order to close the door in the ninth.

Tom Lyons (2-5) came on in relief of Cephas Howard, who had pitched a scoreless eighth inning of his own in relief of Ryan Gehring. The Goldeyes loaded the bases without a hit, as a hit batsman and two intentional walks set the stage for the walk off grand slam by Frost to end the game.

Saturday's game features Alain Quijano (4-6, 5.84) for the Flyers against LHP Bill Pulsipher (4-1, 2.91). Game time is set for 6 p.m.