Jones' Walk-Off Homer Defeats Captains, 7-5

Published on June 11, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


LINCOLN, Neb.---Lincoln third baseman Brandon Jones hit a two-out walkoff home run to right field off Jameson Maj to give the Saltdogs a 7-5 win over the Captains Saturday night at Haymarket Park. The homer came just pitches after a botched suicide squeeze play that made it appear the game was fated for extra innings.

Earlier in the inning, Lincoln had put runners on first and third with one out, but the Captains got a big second out on a baserunning blunder by Saltdogs right fielder Curt Smith. Earlier in Jones' at bat, he had attempted a squeeze bunt but took his bat away with Smith, the runner at third, barrelling for home plate. Captains catcher Andrew Kuhn rain toward Smith who was thrown out in the rundown, 2-5-1.

However, later in the at bat, Jones would launch his second home run of the year to end the game and drop the Captains record to 14-14, the first time they've been at .500 since they were 2-2 at the end of their opening season series with the Saltdogs.

Shreveport-Bossier scored first on an Andres Rodriguez two-run single in the top of the first, plating Mike Provencher and Robert Perry. But Lincoln would come back to take the lead in the last of the first. Smith knocked in Blake Gailen with an RBI single. Pat Trettel's two-run single would score Smith and Vance Albitz to make it 3-2.

In the fourth, Lincoln would extend the lead when Albitz came in to score on a Kuhn passed ball. Gavin Dickey's sacrifice fly would score Phil Hakw and make it a 5-2 game.

However, Shreveport-Bossier would tie it with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh off Lincoln reliever Sean Potter. Mike Provencher, who went 3-for-5 on the night, knocked in Joe Urtuzuastegui in sixth. An inning later, Uriak Marquez's two-run single would tie it up However, Shreveport-Bossier could get nothing going offensively off Lincoln's Paul Koss (1-2), who pitched 2.2 scoreless innings to preserve the tie and lead the way to Jones' ninth-inning heroics.

The loss undermined a terrific offensive night for Bryan Sabatella, who was 4-for-5 with a run scored. Kuhn also had a productive night at the plate in just his second start of the year, going 2-for-3 with a walk. Captains starter Richard Salazar lasted five innings, allowing nine hits and five runs, while striking out five and walking four. Lincoln's starter, Tommy Palica also went five, giving up two runs on seven hits while striking out seven and walking two.

The Captains look to salvage the final game of the series with Lincoln Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. when they send the reigning American Association Pitcher of the Week, Osvaldo Rodriguez (1-1, 5.45) to the mound to face Saltdogs righthander Tim Brown (2-3, 4.81).

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American Association Stories from June 11, 2011


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