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Cats Beat WhiteWings, 3-1

July 29, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


HARLINGEN- The Fort Worth Cats enjoyed a strong performance from starting pitcher Trevor Harden to defeat the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings, 3-1, Sunday night at Harlingen Field.

Harden (6-4) allowed only one run, a home run to left from catcher Salvador Paniagua in the eighth inning, while scattering eight hits and two walks in registering the pitching triumph.

"It was kind of like how Blake [Nation] threw yesterday," Harden said, referencing his teammate who threw a four hit complete game victory against the WhiteWings (34-28) Saturday night. "He threw up in the zone. I took that approach. Get ahead in the count and let the hitters get themselves out."

So Harden would fan just one hitter, but was only in real trouble once in the game. In that circumstance, up 1-0, the WhiteWings had runners at second and third with nobody out and the top of their order up, but Harden induced Ruddy Yan to fly to shallow center, Leugim Barroso to pop to third baseman Brandon Jones, and Leivi Ventura to bounce back to the box to retire the side.

Fort Worth (36-26) scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings off Rio Grande Valley starter Celson Polanco (7-4) on three straight singles, with catcher Derek Marshall and right fielder Chuck Caufield collecting the run scoring hits in the respective frames.

After Paniagua, whom Harden believes has the most home run power of any player in the Rio Grande Valley lineup, hit his second home run since signing with the WhiteWings last Wednesday, the Cats scored an insurance run in the ninth off Polanco when Shelby Ford singled in C.J. Beatty with two out.

The victory gives Fort Worth a two game lead over Rio Grande Valley for the final playoff berth in the North American Baseball League's United Division with five weeks left in the season. The Cats have taken the first three games of the four game series in Harlingen.

"Everyone gets along and is having fun," Harden said of the atmosphere in the Cats' clubhouse. "It's easy to win when everyone gets along." Fort Worth will go for the sweep tonight at 7:05 p.m. when Steven Barnes (4-4) pitches against Erinzon Bautista (1-0), who is making his first start of the season. Ladies will be admitted free.

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