Captains Drop Second Straight to St. Paul 6-2

Published on June 8, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


SHREVEPORT, La.---The Shreveport-Bossier Captains first rain delay of the year at Fair Grounds Field did not do anything to dampen the St. Paul Saints, who won their fifth straight, beating the Captains 6-2. St. Paul broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning and would add two insurance runs in the ninth on a two-run home run to right field by first baseman Jason Cooper off Shreveport-Bossier reliver Jameson Maj.

The game was delayed for an hour and 44 minutes following a rain shower just before the scheduled 7:05 p.m. first pitch. The Saints improved to an American Association-best 17-7, while the Captains fell to just one game above .500 at 13-12 and have dropped four of their last five at home. St. Paul starter Matt Long (3-1) held the Captains to just two runs on six hits in seven innings. He walked one while striking out four. Shreveport-Bossier starter Osvaldo Rodriguez, coming off his best start of the year June 1 against El Paso, struggled in the early going but gave up just two runs on three hits in six innings.

Rodriguez, who had walked two at most in his first five starts, had issues five base on balls in the first 2.1 innings. However, he settled in, allowing just two baserunners over his last 3.2 innings.

The Captains scored in the first inning when Bryan Frichter, batting in the leadoff spot for the first time this year, scored on a Long wild pitch. St. Paul would take a 2-1 lead in the next half inning. Brandon Tripp led off the frame with a double. Rodriguez then walked the next two hitters to load the bases and then walked Jonathan Van Every to tie the game. The next hitter, Jeff Howell launched a sacrifice fly to center to give St. Paul the lead.

Shreveport-Bossier would tie it in the sixth on an RBI single by Bryan Sabatella to score Alex Cowart. In the seventh the Captains would load the bases with no outs, but Long got Brian Peterson to ground into a 6-2-3 double play with the St. Paul infield in, then struck out Cowart to end the inning. It was the second time in as many nights that the Captains loaded the bases with no outs, failed to score, and would not plate another run in the game.

The Saints took the lead off Shreveport-Bossier reliever Mark Haynes (0-1) in the eighth on an RBI double by Ronnie Bourquin and a one-run single by Van Every. In the ninth off Maj, Cooper hit the two-run homer that put the game out of reach.

Andres Rodriguez and Uriak Marquez would each single to lead off the bottom of the ninth off St. Paul closer Robert Manuel. However, Palmer Karr hit a line drive to center field that Van Every caught and then doubled up Rodriguez at second. Manuel then struck out Mike Provencher to end the game.

The Captains will try to exit Fair Grounds Field with a winning record on their nine-game homestand when they take on the Saints Wednesday, June 8 at 7:05 p.m. Newly-acquired veteran pitcher Joel Kirsten (0-0, 0.00) is scheduled to start against St. Paul left-hander Donald Brandt (3-0, 3.00). Gates open at 6:05 p.m. for Willis-Knighton Wednesday, where kids eat free with paid admission. For ticket information, call 318-636-5555 or log on to www.sbcaptains.com.

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