10-run fifth earns Caps doubleheader split

Published on August 3, 2009 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


SHREVEPORT, La. - A roller-coaster day for the Shreveport-Bossier Captains saw them fall behind, tie the game, lose late, appear to have the game at least tied again, only to lose once more, then fell behind early and threatened to drop out of first place, before a huge 10-run inning gave them a doubleheader split against the Lincoln Saltdogs at Fair Grounds Field on Sunday in front of 1,311 fans and restored the status quo from a day ago.

With Pensacola losing Saturday night and winning Sunday, the Captains (37-34, 15-8 2nd half) 3-2 loss and 12-4 win against Lincoln (35-35, 13-9) kept them a half-game ahead of the Pelicans (14-8 2nd half) in the South division standings. Both games were seven innings as per American Association rules.

Pitcher of the Month Jimmy Heard started for the Captains in the opening game, and for the first time all season the Captains did not win one of his starts. Rafael Alvarez homered off the scoreboard in right-center leading off the fourth inning to give the Saltdogs a 1-0 lead. Heard did pitch around a couple of other jams, though, and ended up allowing just the one run on eight hits through 5 1/3 innings.

Lefty Zac Cline shut the Captains out through the first five innings, allowing more than one baserunner in an inning only once. But Shreveport-Bossier got him out of the game in the sixth when Richard Paz led off with a walk. Lefty-swinging Christopher Garcia then hit a perfect hit-and-run single through the left side off lefty reliever Adam Daniels (4-2) to send Paz to third. Daniels then uncorked a wild pitch to score Paz and tie the game.

Andres Rodriguez then hit a deep fly ball that allowed Garcia to get to third, but Jose Torres struck out for the second out and Dwayne White grounded out to end the inning.

In the top of the seventh, Robert Romero (0-2) got the first two men out, but then walked Josh Burrus. Albenis Machado then lined a single to right, which White bobbled, allowing Burrus to score all the way from first. The next hitter, Phil Hawke, hit a deep fly to center which Jonathan Reynoso chased after and eventually tracked down, but let bounce off his glove for another run.

Closer Chris Thompson, who had not seen the Captains since he was traded from El Paso in June, had another adventurous outing against Shreveport-Bossier. Reynoso led off with a double to left, before pinch-hitter Kevin Griffin, who hit a game-tying three-run home run off Thompson in El Paso on May 31, almost got another before settling for an RBI double high off the rightfield wall. Angelo Fermin then flied out to right, deep enough for Griffin to move to third on. But after Bryan Sabatella walked, Richard Paz hit the first pitch back to Thompson, who started a 1-6-3 double play to earn his 24th save of the year.

Lincoln got the early lead in Game 2 as well, with a three-run homer in the second by Brandon Jones off starter Derrick Miramontes - another two-out, no-one on rally for the Saltdogs. But the Captains answered with two in the bottom of the inning off Jim Paduch (5-5), who walked Torres with one out before hitting White and Griffin to load the bases. Selwyn Langaigne then lofted a sacrifice fly before Fermin singled to make it 3-2.

The Saltdogs got a run in a strange fourth inning, when Shawn McGill was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, before seemingly stealing second base with Gavin Dickey batting. But Dickey was called out for batter's interference, sending McGill back to first. Lincoln's catcher then stole second and third anyway and eventually scored on a passed ball by Griffin to give Lincoln a 4-2 lead.

Miramontes left after 3 2/3 innings, before Matt Petty got three outs to send it to Jakob Cunningham (4-0) in the fifth with a runner at second. The All-Star reliever got Steve Alexander to fly to center to end that inning and keep the game 4-2.

Paduch got around trouble in his half of the fourth, but hit the wall hard in the fifth. Sabatella laid down a perfect bunt single down the third-base line to start the inning, and then Paz walked. Garcia hit a deep drive that appeared to glance off Alvarez's glove at the rightfield fence for an RBI single, before Rodriguez grounded one through the right side to tie the game.

Torres then drew his third straight walk, before White struck out against lefty specialist Forrest Cory with the bases loaded and no outs. But Griffin singled home two runs to give the Captains their first lead at any point in the three-game series, and Langaigne hit another sacrifice fly to make it 7-4. Fermin then drove in his second run of Game 2 with a double to left-center that Dickey could not track down, before Cory finally departed.

New pitcher Daryl Arreola did not fare much better, walking Sabatella on four pitches, before Paz singled, Garcia knocked in another two with a double off the wall in left, before Rodriguez singled home two more to end the carnage. Overall, it was a 14-batter, 10-run, eight-hit inning.

Cunningham gave up two runs (one earned) in the top of the sixth, and Justin Dowdy pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to finish off the win for the Captains, their first in almost a week, since beating El Paso on July 27.

Notes: Garcia now has had multiple hits in 10 straight games, with a 12-game hitting streak overall...Both times Cunningham has given up runs this season, he has given up two, and was that game's winning pitcher...Shreveport-Bossier finishes the regular season 7-8 against the North Division, with a 4-2 home mark and a 3-6 road record...Only Torres and White did not get a hit for the Captains in the second game...Thompson's two teams are now 5-0 in games he has pitched against the Captains this season, despite not having a single inning where he has allowed fewer than two baserunners.

The Shreveport-Bossier Captains have an off day on Monday before heading off to Fort Worth for three games against the Cats, starting at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4. The Captains are back home on Friday, August 7 to take on the Grand Prairie AirHogs at 7:05 p.m., with a 1st Choice Personnel Team Photo Giveaway. All games are broadcast on ESPN Radio, KRMD-1340 AM and streamed live on supertalk1340.com, with streaming video provided by NiftyTV on www.sbcaptains.com for all home games and select road games. For information on tickets, promotions, advertising, and other opportunities with the Captains, check out the team's Web site at www.sbcaptains.com, or call the Fair Grounds Field office at (318) 636-5555.

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American Association Stories from August 3, 2009


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