AtL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Jason Lane Goes the Distance

Published on July 14, 2012 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


SUGAR LAND, Texas - Jason Lane fired the first nine-inning complete-game shutout in Skeeters history in Saturday night's 8-0 win over the Blue Crabs in front of 7015 fans at Constellation Field.

Coming up next...Scott Kazmir (0-1) makes his second start for the Sugar Land Skeeters (30-42) against Nick Green (4-6) and the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (31-41) in game three Sunday evening at Constellation Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. CDT. Be sure to arrive at the ballpark when the gates open for catch on the field and team autographs pregame, our Sunday tradition!

Jason Lane (2-2) started his fifth game of the year on 10 days rest for Sugar Land, his first since July 4. The lefty hurler was impressive going for his second win of the year allowing just three scattered hits while striking out a career high nine batters on his way to a franchise first, a complete-game shutout in nine innings.

Matthew Vasquez (4-6) faced Sugar Land for the third time this season having received the no-decision in his last appearance in Southern Maryland. The right-handed pitcher lost four outings in a row before starting tonight's game adding a fifth to the list. The former major leaguer left after five innings allowing six runs on six hits, but the damage was done early.

Scoring started for the Skeeters first in the bottom of the second inning when designated-hitter Josh Pressley led off the inning. In his first at-bat of the evening, Pressley hammered a pitch deep to left that left the yard for his eighth home run of the year. The Skeeters carried a 1-0 lead into the third.

One inning later, with two outs already gone, Ofilio Castro got the rally started with a single followed by a two-out walk to Pressley. With two on, catcher Manny Mejia blasted a fastball deep to center up and over the head of Sergio Pedroza. Both runners scored on the play boosting the lead by two, 3-0.

After a scoreless fourth, the Skeeters added two more in the fifth. Bubba Bell and Iggy Suarez used back-to-back walks to start the inning. Castro popped out to the catcher in foul territory, but Pressley again added more insurance. The former All-Star took Vasquez to deep right-center field bringing the speedsters around to add to the lead, 5-0. Pressley advanced to third on Mejia's second hit of the game, a single up the middle. One batter later, Steve Moss used a sac-fly into left to increase the advantage, 6-0.

The Blue Crabs changed pitches in the sixth, but Bryan Dumesnil did not change the streaking Skeeters bats. Again, with two outs in the inning through the first two batters, Sugar Land rallied. Bell flied out to center field on what should have been the inning-ending out but Pedroza dropped it for the error. In the at-bat that followed, Suarez blasted a double down the left-field line to put runners on second and third for Castro. On the fourth pitch he saw, Castro hit one through the six-hole scoring both runners to increase the advantage, 8-0.

After a scoreless seventh and eighth, Lane came back out to finish off his best performance of the season. The Californian retired 10 of the last 12 batters he faced and only allowed five base runners all night. Casey Benjamin flied out to left to end the game securing the feat for Lane and the Skeeters.

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Atlantic League Stories from July 14, 2012


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