Missed Opportunities, Errors End Captains Win Streak

Published on July 28, 2009 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


EL PASO, Texas - The top of the El Paso Diablos order has hurt the Shreveport-Bossier Captains all season, and Tuesday night was no different, as the first four hitters scored nine runs and drove in eight, leading the Diablos to an easy 11-4 victory at Cohen Stadium.

For the second time this season, the Captains (36-31, 14-5 2nd half) turned to Joe Urtuzuastegui to pitch, as the rookie infielder survived an error, walk and hit in the eighth inning to keep El Paso (29-37, 8-10) off the board and keep his ERA at 0.00.

Shreveport-Bossier had an opportunity to take the lead in the first inning, but for the second day in a row Christopher Garcia was thrown out on an 8-6-2 relay at the plate on a double by Andres Rodriguez to end an inning. El Paso then took advantage of a Captains error to take the lead.

After Ronald Lowe (5-7) walked Kennard Bibbs to start the inning, he threw wildly to first trying to pick him off, the first of five Shreveport-Bossier errors in the game. After Arnoldo Ponce struck out and Jorge Alvarez grounded out, Juan Camacho singled to drive in Bibbs and give the Diablos a 1-0 lead. Lowe survived a leadoff walk in the second, and the Captains then tied the game in the third on an RBI single by Garcia.

But after that it was all El Paso, putting up four runs in each of the third and fourth innings to go up 9-1 and chase Lowe from the game. A leadoff triple by David Washington and a walk to Bibbs set up Ponce's first two-run double of the evening to make it 3-1, before a double by Alvarez made it 4-1. Camacho then reached on en error by Kevin Griffin, who could not pick up a squibber in front of the plate. Mike Provencher then flied out to right, and the runners tagged, but Richard Paz threw the relay away to allow Alvarez to score and give the Diablos a 5-1 lead.

Lowe's third leadoff walk in his four innings started El Paso's fourth inning, before Bibbs reached on a one-out error by first baseman Sabatella, who tried to throw to second for a force but threw in the dirt. Ponce then hit another two-run double to left-center, sliding safely into second to keep the rally going. After Alvarez walked, Camacho and Provencher hit RBI singles to give El Paso its eight-run cushion.

The Captains got two back in the fifth against spot starter Garvis Romero, but Paz hit into a 5-2-3 double play with the bases loaded and no one out to kill a great chance at a big inning, and after Garcia hit a two-run single and Andres Rodriguez walked, Jose Torres grounded out against new pitcher Anthony Pluta (3-5) to end the threat.

Pluta, who gave up Shreveport-Bossier's seven-run 12th inning on Sunday, was perfect to seven batters in this game, and he turned it over to Albert Montes, who pitched a 1-2-3 eighth before giving up an unearned run in the ninth.

El Paso got its final two run in the sixth against Tony Pierce, who pitched two innings, before Luke Massetti, like Logan Williamson a day earlier, spared the Captains bullpen with an inning on his between-starts throw day. Urtuzuastegui got the first two outs of the ninth on grounders by Ponce and Alvarez, but Camacho reached on an error by Paz to keep it going. After a walk to Provencher and a single by Jeff Vincent, Urtuzuastegui got Eddy Rodriguez to pop up to short on the first pitch to end the inning.

Notes: Shortstop Angelo Fermin got his first Captains hit (with a single in the fifth) and RBI (with a grounder in the ninth) in his two games so far...The Captains have been outscored 48-13 in their five second-half losses...Garcia had three RBIs for the second game in a row...Shreveport-Bossier has had at least 10 hits in eight of its last nine games...The Captains remained 1.5 games ahead of Pensacola in the second half standings after the Pelicans lost to Wichita Tuesday night to end an eight-game winning streak.

The Shreveport-Bossier Captains conclude their four-game series with the El Paso Diablo on Wednesday, July 29 at 8:05 p.m. Central Time. After an off day on Thursday, the Captains are back at home to welcome in the Lincoln Saltdogs for three, starting on Friday, July 31, at 7:05 p.m. Kids can run the bases free after that game, which is also Boy Scout Night. All games are broadcast on ESPN Radio, KRMD-1340 AM and streamed live on supertalk1340.com, with streaming video provided by NiftyTV on www.sbcaptains.com for all home games and select road games. 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 28, 2009


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