TL1 San Antonio Missions

Better Latos than Never

Published on May 30, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
San Antonio Missions News Release


When Will Inman was promoted to Triple-A last week, it seemed that the Missions had lost one of their aces. They may have found themselves another one. San Antonio hurler Mat Latos held the Cardinals hitless into the seventh inning of his first home start, helping the Missions snap their season-high losing streak at four games with a three-hit, 8-0 shutout at Wolff Stadium Friday night, helping the home side avoid its first sweep of the year.

Latos (1-0) was flat out dominant, hurling 6.2 hitless innings before allowing a two-out single in the seventh. He finished seven innings on just 82 pitches, allowing the single hit and a pair of walks while fanning seven. Latos has given up only two hits through his first 11.0 innings pitched at Double-A, holding opponents to a .057 batting average. Skipper Terry Kennedy was impressed, to say the least.

"He doesn't need to change a thing," said Kennedy. "We needed a stop, and he got one." The Missions won for the first time since the last time Latos took the hill, Saturday at Frisco.

Mike Baxter continued his run as the hottest hitter in the league, giving Latos more than enough support all by himself. Baxter went 4-for-5 with two RBI-doubles and a towering shot off the scoreboard in right field, his third home run of the season. He has hit safely in nine straight, including seven multi-hit games, batting .618 (21-for-34) with six walks, five doubles, a homer, 12 runs scored and 13 RBI over that stretch.

"All year it's been the Baxter-(Craig) Cooper show," said Kennedy. "We wouldn't be close to where we are without Mike Baxter."

After Latos shut down Springfield 1-2-3 in the top of the first, the Missions scored four times on four extra-base hits and a pair of wild pitches to take the early lead. Eric Sogard, Baxter and Craig Cooper rattled off back-to-back-to-back doubles in the first, and Mitch Canham followed one out later with an RBI-triple. The four runs tied the season-high for the Missions in the opening frame, matching their output from the first inning on April 25 when they beat Midland 8-3.The Missions scored in the first inning for the third straight night, the sixth time in seven games, and the 25th time in 47 contests this year.

Missions reliever Brandon Gomes came in to throw the final two innings, holding the Cardinals scoreless to preserve San Antonio's fourth shutout of the season. It marked the first time the Missions have blanked their opponents since shutting out Corpus Christi on back-to-back days May 17-18. The Missions have not combined for a no-hitter since Vance Lovelace, Brian Piper and Steve Martin spun a hitless, 1-0 gem over Beaumont on June 9th, 1984.

Springfield starter Tyler Herron (2-4) settled down after the opening frame to throw three scoreless innings before being chased in the fifth. Latos hit a broken-bat single to open the inning, but Herron looked as though he might be alright after fanning Luis Durango for his seventh strikeout of the night. However, Sogard singled through the hole to left and Baxter followed with his third hit of the night, an RBI-double past the diving Curt Smith in right field to push the lead to 5-0. Herron intentionally walked Cooper to load the bases with one out and was relieved by Brandon Dickson, who retired Cedric Hunter and Canham to limit the damage.

W: Latos (1-0); L: Herron (2-4); S: None; HR: Baxter (3)

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Texas League Stories from May 30, 2009


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