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Historic Pitching Matchup Tuesday

July 20, 2009 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


Harlingen - United League Baseball's Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings announced today that seven-year Major League veteran Jesus Sanchez will pitch for the WhiteWings against two-year Houston Astro and current San Angelo Colt Ezequiel Astacio in tomorrow's 11:05 a.m. game at Harlingen Field.

It is the first time in United League Baseball history that the starting pitchers for both clubs in the same game have experience pitching in Major League Baseball.

11-year Major League veteran and left-handed reliever Tom Martin, who pitched a 1-2-3 inning against the WhiteWings in his debut for the Colts on Saturday, is expected to be available.

Sanchez will be making his first start for the WhiteWings after making three relief appearances to build up his arm strength. The left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA. In eight innings, he has struck out four while allowing seven hits (one home run) and one walk.

Sanchez pitched for the Florida Marlins from 1998-through-2001, the Chicago Cubs in 2002, the Colorado Rockies in 2003 and the Cincinnati Reds in 2004. He is 23-34 with a 5.32 ERA. In 162 games (83 starts), he has thrown 524.2 innings, allowing 564 hits and 281 walks while striking out 384. Sanchez ranked third in the National League in shutouts with two during the 2000 season.

He made his Major League debut on March 31, 1998 at home against the Cubs, throwing one scoreless inning of relief. He picked up his first- career strikeout, getting Sammy Sosa looking to leadoff the seventh inning.

Sanchez started his minor league-career in the New York Mets system in 1994 and has pitched parts of five seasons at AAA. In the minors, Sanchez has a career mark of 58-40 with a 3.70 ERA, including 794 strikeouts in 872.2 innings.

Astacio is 5-0 with a 3.69 ERA. In seven games and starts, he has thrown 39 innings, allowing 34 hits and seven walks while striking out 36. He is 2-0 against the WhiteWings, through five innings of three- hit ball while allowing one run and striking out nine on June 20, and giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three in six innings on July 11.

Astacio pitched for the Astros in 2005 and 2006, going 5-6 with a 6.02 ERA. In 86.2 innings, he allowed 107 hits and 31 walks while striking out 72. He spent most of the season with Astros in 2005, when he went 3-6 with a 5.67 ERA in 22 games (14 starts). He made the post-season roster and pitched one perfect inning while striking out two in game one of the NLCS (5-3 loss to the Cardinals). Astacio was the losing pitcher in the 7-5 14-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox in game three of the World Series.

Martin was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the sixth round of the 1988 amateur draft and made his debut as a 27-year old with the Astros in 1997, going 5-3 with two saves and a 2.09 ERA. He has since pitched for the Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies.

Martin last appeared in the majors in 2007 with the Rockies, compiling a 4.91 ERA in 26 relief appearances. He pitched in six games for the Long Island Ducks (Atlantic League, Independent) last season and was in Spring Training with the Mets this year, but suffered a fractured wrist after falling down stairs. He was already dealing with a right calf strain.

Colts pitching coach Matt Duff pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2002. Duff appeared in seven games, pitching 5.2 innings while allowing three runs on three hits. He walked eight and struckout four.

Colts manager Doc Edwards is no stranger to games with Major Leaguers. He played in Major League Baseball from 1962-through-1970 with the Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. The catcher had a career batting average of .238 with 15 home runs and 87 RBI in 317 games.

Edwards managed for the Indians from 1987-through-1989, compiling a record of 173-207 (.455). He has been in professional baseball since 1958.

Gates open at 10:05 a.m.

The WhiteWings are members of United League Baseball, an independent league of six professional baseball teams located in Texas. In its fourth season, the United League is in the midst of a great summer with teams located in Amarillo, Edinburg, Coastal Bend, Laredo, Harlingen and San Angelo.

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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.

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