Garcia, Tucker Lead Captains to Series Win

Published on July 15, 2010 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


SHREVEPORT, La. - Early on Thursday night, new Shreveport-Bossier Captains starter Cardoza Tucker was in trouble. He allowed two hits and two walks in the first, and his team was behind 2-0. Captains designated hitter Christopher Garcia grounded out in his first at-bat, and his lineup-mates could only muster one hit in the first three frames against El Paso Diablos starter William Buzhardt. But Tucker and Garcia both turned things around, as the pitcher threw six straight shutout innings and only allowed one hit and one walk the rest of his night, and the hitter walked and scored in his next time up and drove in runs with each of his final two at-bats as the Captains beat the Diablos 6-2 in front of 1,170 fans at Fair Grounds Field to win their series two out of three.

Hector Bernal, who had two of the Diablos' three hits in the game, started the night with a single to left-center off Tucker (1-0). After a fielder's choice, a walk and another groundout, Kyle Nichols's single to left-center drove in a pair. Tucker then gave up a two-out single to Bernal in the second, but catcher Brian Peterson caught him stealing, and the righty from Fresno, Calif., did not give up another hit. He pitched a 1-2-3 third, worked around a leadoff walk in the fourth and a two-out error in the fifth, before setting down the final seven men he faced.

Meanwhile, Buzhardt (1-1) held the Captains (33-24, 4-6 2nd half) at bay early, but walked Garcia to start the fourth. After a flyout, Andres Rodriguez flared a broken bat hit to right-center, before a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. Bryan Frichter then came through with a clutch hit to tie the game at 2-2.

An inning later, Bryan Sabatella singled with two outs and no one on to start the eventual game-winning rally. Jovanny Rosario worked out a walk on a long at-bat, setting up Garcia with two on, and he roped a single to right to give the Captains the lead. Then in the seventh, Garcia got a green light on 3-0 and ripped a pitch from reliever Barry Fowler off the centerfield wall to score two more.

Jameson Maj and Hector Carrasco each struck out two in their respective perfect innings to finish things off, with the final 13 Diablos hitters going down in order.

Notes: The team to score first lost all three games of this series and did not score again after their one RBI hit.Four El Paso players struck out at least twice.The Captains became the first team in the season series with the Diablos (21-35, 2-8) to win a home series, after the road team at least split the first four meetings.

The Shreveport-Bossier Captains head out on a six-game road trip to Fort Worth and Pensacola, starting against the Cats on Friday, July 16, at 7:05 p.m. The Captains return home for a four-game series against the Grand Prairie AirHogs on Thursday, July 22, at 7:05 p.m. It will be 99X Thirsty Thursday, with discounted beverages and a chance to win the Captains' Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Shirts off our Backs that night. It is also Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Night, with discounted tickets available for chamber members. All games are broadcast on ESPN Radio, KRMD-1340 AM as well as streaming live on supertalk1340.com. 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 15, 2010


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