It's DéjÃ Vu for the Captains to Take 2-0 Series Lead

Published on September 8, 2010 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release

For Immediate Release

Contact: Josh Hirsch September 8, 2010 318-636-5555

It's déjÃ vu for the Captains to take 2-0 series lead Another strong start, more early runs add up to a second 3-1 win

SHREVEPORT, La. - Seven strong innings with no earned runs by the starter, an early 3-0 lead that became 3-1, Dan Griffin and Hector Carrasco to finish it off and a Shreveport-Bossier Captains victory at Fair Grounds Field - that was the recipe for success in Game 1 of the American Association Championship Series, and it worked again in Game 2, as Ryan DiPietro took Osvaldo Rodriguez's place and pitched the Captains to another 3-1 win over the Sioux Falls Pheasants and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series in front of 544 on Wednesday at the final 2010 game at Fair Grounds Field.

Although DiPietro (1-1) only allowed three hits, two walks and two hit batters in his seven innings, it was not easy for him in the first two. Joe Anthonsen singled off the lefty to start the game, and Reggie Abercrombie singled with one out to put runners at the corners. But league MVP Beau Torbert popped to second on the first pitch, and DiPietro struck out Brandon Sing on the ninth pitch of his at-bat to end the frame and keep the Pheasants off the board.

As was the case in Game 1, the Captains scored in the bottom of the first inning to take the lead. This time, Bryan Sabatella started the rally with a walk, and he moved to third on Robert Perry's single up the middle. Christopher Garcia then singled to right to open the scoring, and Palmer Karr singled to left to make it 2-0 against Chris Salberg (0-1) before he recorded an out.

But Salberg mostly shut the Captains down after that, and DiPietro allowed a single and a walk to start the second. After Gus Milner bunted the runners over, DiPietro got a first-pitch grounder to third by Eddy Rodriguez to keep the runners where they were before striking out Anthonsen to end the inning.

Then, the Captains' lefty got into a groove, and did not allow a hit for the rest of his night. Shreveport-Bossier got their final run in the fourth, when Uriak Marquez walked and stole second, before scoring on a two-out error by shortstop Tim Hutting.

Griffin came on in the eighth to face the top of the order - just as he did in Game 1. But this time, he walked Anthonsen after getting ahead 0-2 and gave up a single to Hutting after doing the same. Captains manager Ricky VanAsselberg then went right to Carrasco, and he got three outs on three pitches, a double play from Abercrombie that scored a run and a flyout by Torbert on the first pitch.

The Captains closer then walked Sing to lead off the ninth, but got a two flyouts and a groundout for his second save of both the series and the postseason overall, putting the Captains one win away from their first championship in franchise history, needing one win in three games at Sioux Falls.

However, while Shreveport-Bossier did post the league's best road record at 26-22, the Pheasants had the best home mark at 39-9.

Notes: Perry had three hits for the Captains.This was the first playoff game for the Captains in which neither team hita home run.The Captains finished their Fair Grounds Field schedule at 35-17, with a 3-2 postseason mark.Salberg only walked three hitters but two of them scored.The Pheasants have only nine hits in the first two games of the series.

The 2010 American Association Championship Series now shifts to Sioux Falls, S. Dak., with a travel day on Thursday before the Shreveport-Bossier Captains take on the North Division Champion Sioux Falls Fighting Pheasants with a chance to win the championship in Game 3 on Friday, September 10 at 7:05 p.m. All games are broadcast streaming live on ustream.tv. 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. ------E37EC5A6A82A4400A6170C058EC41897

Press Release

2901 Pershing Blvd. Shreveport, LA 71109 | (318) 636-5555 | (318) 636-5670 (fax)

For Immediate Release September 8, 2010

Contact: Josh Hirsch 516-984-8735

It's déjÃ vu for the Captains to take 2-0 series lead

Another strong start, more early runs add up to a second 3-1 win

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