Cats battle back for 7-5 win
Published on July 7, 2004 under Central Baseball League (Central League)
Fort Worth Cats News Release
Trailing by four runs and being no-hit through 3 ½ innings, Fort Worth mounted a rally and came from behind to defeat Coastal Bend 7-5 on Wednesday night at LaGrave Field.
The win evens the Cats' second half record at 5-5 as Fort Worth snaps a two-game losing skid.
Coastal Bend got out of the gates quickly as they scored a run in the first and one in the second. They added to their lead with a two-run fourth inning that included a Carlos Castillo RBI single and a run-scoring passed ball.
With Coastal Bend leading 4-0, the Cats started their rally in the bottom of the fourth. Tim Hartshorn led off the inning with a double and scored on a Dennis Pelfrey RBI single. After a John Allen double, Greg Strickland drove home a run with an RBI groundout and then Allen came home on a Terence Green two-bagger to cut the Aviators lead to 4-3.
In the fifth inning, Hartshorn was hit by a pitch and then scored the tying run on an Allen run-scoring single. Fort Worth would take a 5-4 lead an inning later when Pat Hannon's sacrifice fly scored Jim Essian.
Fort Worth would add important insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, and in the ninth, Cats' reliever Billy Stokley recorded the final two outs of the game to earn his first save of the season. Stokley struck out the final batter of the game with the tying-run at second base.
Angel Aragon (8-3) received the win as he permitted three earned runs on 11 hits in 7 2/3 innings of work.
Aviators' starter Jose Lopez allowed three runs on four hits while walking seven in 3 2/3 innings, but received no decision. Reliever Mike Garcia (0-3) suffered the loss as he permitted the go-ahead run to score in the sixth inning.
Cats' third baseman Terence Green was 3-for-5 with an RBI in the game. Left fielder Greg Strickland had a hit and two runs batted in.
The Cats and Aviators play the rubber game of the three-game set on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.
Shad Williams will pitch for the Cats and he will be opposed by left-hander Lavelle Morgan.
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