Captains solve De Valk to extend streak to seven

Published on July 16, 2009 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


SHREVEPORT, La. - Whether it be relieving or starting, Pensacola Pelicans righty Dane De Valk has bedeviled the Shreveport-Bossier Captains, coming into Wednesday night's game with a 3-0 record and only four runs allowed in four games (two starts) against the Captains this season. And through four innings at Fair Grounds Field, it looked like another one of those nights for Shreveport-Bossier against De Valk.

Jimmy Heard had given up an unearned run in the first inning and the Pelicans had held the 1-0 lead through four. But Kevin Griffin led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, and moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. Up came Richard Paz with two outs, and for the second night in a row, had a key RBI hit, singling to right to tie the game. On the next pitch, Christopher Garcia doubled to right center to bring home Paz, and the Captains pitching shut down Pensacola the rest of the way for a 4-1 win in front of 1,144 fans - Shreveport-Bossier's seventh in a row.

With one out in the top of the first inning, third baseman Andres Rodriguez threw away Antoin Gray's slow roller for a two-base error. After Chase Burch walked, Marcos Rodriguez extended his on-base streak to 27 straight games with an RBI single to left to give the Pelicans their first and only run of the game.

Heard (4-0) kept things in check from then on, giving up one hit in each of the next three innings, a walk in the fifth, and a single in the sixth. At no point after the first inning did Pensacola (28-28, 4-4 2nd half) have more than one baserunner on at once, and only one man got to third. That was in the sixth, when Rodriguez, who had three hits on the night, got to third with two outs after a sac bunt and a groundout. But Heard's 100th and final pitch of the night was grounded to first baseman Bryan Sabatella by Lester Contreras, and Sabatella flipped to Heard for the inning-ending out.

The rookie righty went six, allowed five hits and the lone unearned run, with a pair of walks and four strikeouts to stay perfect this season, and has won all four of his starts at home.

After the Captains (29-27, 7-1) took the lead and knocked out De Valk (3-2) after five, Shreveport-Bossier picked up two insurance runs in the seventh against Ron Hill. Dan Williams started the inning by reaching on an error by Gray, who could not get the ball out of his glove. After a coupe of outs, Garcia walked and Rodriguez belted a double off the left field wall to drive in two and provide the final margin of victory.

The trio of Matt Petty, Jakob Cunningham and Justin Dowdy (10th save of the year) each pitched an inning to finish the win, with a combined two hits, no walks or runs, and two strikeouts each.

Notes: The Captains got two games over .500 for the first time this season...The second through fifth innings in the game were the first innings that the Captains have started while trailing on the homestand...Pensacola manager Talmadge Nunnari and rightfielder Rafael Alvarez both were ejected by home plate umpire David Marcoe. Nunnari was thrown out in the sixth after complaining about Heard's pickoff mood, while Alvarez was run after Marcoe ruled a swing on the first pitch of the ninth inning. Adam Deleo resumed Alvarez's at bat and struck out.

The Shreveport-Bossier Captains conclude their three-game set with the Pensacola Pelicans on Thursday, July 15, at 7:05 p.m. with Gap Broadcasting Thirsty Thursday, with $2 16-oz. beers and Pepsi Products. It is also Miller Lite Shirt off our Back Night, with the Captains raffling off their one-time uniforms after the game. 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 July 16, 2009


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