Captains Edge Pelicans in 11

Published on August 10, 2010 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


In a tense game that could be a preview of the South Division Championship Series, Brian Peterson led off the bottom of the 11th inning for the Shreveport-Bossier Captains against Pensacola Pelicans righty Austin Chambliss. After a called strike and a ball, Peterson checked his swing on a pitch that home plate umpire Lee Meyers ruled as ball one, although Peterson later admitted that he tipped the ball. Pensacola catcher Lou Palmisano, who was throwing the ball back to the mound, did not hear the call, and still believed the count to be 0-2.

After two more foul balls and a ball, Meyers said that the count was 2-2. Then, Palmisano questioned the count, and after a quick argument from him and Pelicans pitching coach Justin Lord, Meyers and the other two umpires, Bryan Childe and Ryan Thacker, huddled up. They then ruled that the initial pitch was a foul ball, changing the call three pitches later to make the count 1-2. After a three-and-a-half minute argument, Meyers finally ejected Captains manager Ricky VanAsselberg, while Chambliss took some throws to stay loose.

While the call went against the Captains, it was the Pelicans who came unglued. After Chambliss threw ball two high, Peterson hit a single to center field on the next pitch. Trying to bunt Peterson over, new Captain Mike Provencher got hit by the next offering, putting runners at first and second with no outs. After a fake to second by Chambliss, Bryan Sabatella laid down a sacrifice bunt towards first. With the Pelicans putting the wheel play on and shortstop Dallas Christison covering third, first baseman Chris Chiarappa, normally the Pensacola backup catcher, threw wildly, allowing Peterson to race home with the game-winning run, giving Shreveport-Bossier the 6-5 win, the Captains' fourth straight.

The bizarre ending was made possible because of a ninth-inning comeback by the Pelicans (40-38, 20-10 2nd half) against Captains closer Hector Carrasco. With one out, the righty walked Adolfo Gonzalez, and Marcos Rodriguez laced an 0-2 pitch to right-center for an RBI double. Carrasco then fell behind 3-1 before Christison singled up the middle to tie the game and force extra innings.

That, in turn, spoiled a fantastic re-debut for lefty starter Aaron Cunningham, who rejoined the Captains (46-32, 17-14) after spending the last two months in San Angelo (Texas) in the United League. Other than allowing two solo homers to Palmisano and an unearned run in the fifth, Cunningham was excellent, with no walks, five total hits and a career-high eight strikeouts.

But for the first four innings, Cunningham was outdueled by Pelicans righty Bryan Rembisz, who faced one over the minimum, allowing a hit and a walk but getting a double play. Up 3-0, Rembisz got the first two out in the fifth, but then gave up six hits in the next seven batters. Another new Captain, Brian Nichols, singled, followed by RBI hits from Peterson, Provencher and Sabatella.

In the bottom of the sixth, Christopher Garcia ripped a base hit up the middle to start the game, and Palmer Karr launched a two-run homer, his 13th of the year, to put the Captains on top for the first time this year.

Cunningham retired the last eight men he faced, and gave way to Jameson Maj in the eighth, who allowed a one-out single but struck out two to keep the lead for the Captains.

After Pensacola tied the game, the Pelicans' Tommy Baumgardner and the Captains' Justin Young (5-4) each threw two scoreless innings to send the game to the decisive bottom of the 11th tied at five.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Association Stories from August 10, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central