More Late Magic Gets Captains Doubleheader Sweep

Published on July 12, 2010 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


SHREVEPORT, La. - The Shreveport-Bossier Captains have had a number of late comebacks at Fair Grounds Field this season, beating Pensacola, St. Paul and Grand Prairie in particularly dramatic fashion. They added another victim to the list Sunday night, beating the Fort Worth Cats 9-2 in game one of a doubleheader before another dramatic rally allowed the Captains to win 5-4 in an extra, eighth inning in the nightcap, to earn the sweep with 1,071 fans watching the twinbill.

The winning run came as it did three weeks ago against Grand Prairie, on a suicide squeeze in the first extra inning. This time it was Brian Peterson doing the honors, laying one down perfectly against Cats reliever Justin Vaclavik (2-1) to bring in Bryan Frichter from third base. Overall, the eighth inning had all three Captains hitters bunting, with Frichter getting a bunt single to start, moving to second on an error by third baseman Cesar Suarez. Uriak Marquez sacrificed Frichter to third before the squeeze won it - the inning lasting just three pitches with three perfect bunts.

The winning run was set up by the Captains' two-run comeback in the seventh against Fort Worth closer Dustin Cameron. With one out, Cameron walked Bryan Sabatella, and then with two outs, issued Christopher Garcia a free pass. With the outfield playing deep to protect against a game-tying double, Jorge Alvarez lofted a 3-2 pitch to shallow centerfield. Cats centerfielder Brian Fryer made an ill-advised dive at the ball, which landed in front of him and rolled behind him, allowing Garcia to score all the way from first to tie the game.

Shreveport-Bossier (31-22, 2-4 2nd half) had battled back from a 4-1 deficit in the game, which saw starter Richard Salazar last only five innings, allowing eight hits and four runs, with two walks and two strikeouts. He allowed all four of his runs to score with two outs, giving up a two-run single to Nick McCoola in the second and RBI singles by Gerardo Avila in the third and Kennard Bibbs in the fourth.

Fort Worth starter Joel Kirsten got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the second, only allowing one run on four straight hits, by striking out Bryan Sabatella and getting a pop-up from Jovanny Rosario. That started a streak of nine straight and 11 of 12 hitters retired by Kirsten, before he walked Alvarez leading off the sixth. Andres Rodriguez then singled, and after a deep fly ball by Frichter, Uriak Marquez grounded out slowly to make it 4-2.

In the first game, new Captains starter Kedrick Martin (1-0) was excellent, becoming the first Captains starter to get a win since Salazar on July 1. The lefty went 5 2/3 innings, allowed five hits and three walks, while striking out two and only giving up two runs. He only had more than one man on base at a time once, and induced a pair of double plays.

The Captains provided plenty of offense for Martin with a pair of runs in the first on a sacrifice fly and a throwing error on a potential double play in the first, and then a five-run third off Aaron Jackson (0-1) and Scott Migl. Seven straight Captains hitters reached base safely in that frame, including RBI doubles from Rodriguez and Frichter and a bases-loaded walk to Sabatella, who drew four free passes in the two games.

Marquez capped the Captains scoring in the opener with his second home run of the year, a towering two-run drive to deep right-center that hit off the scoreboard's support structure.

Rookie Mark Haynes replaced Martin in the sixth, and got the final four outs of the first game, walking two and striking out two, but keeping the Cats (21-31, 3-3) out of the hit and run columns.

Notes: To make room for Martin and Haynes, the Captains released pitcher Chad Linder, who announced his retirement, and put reliever Jakob Cunningham on the inactive list.Garcia was hitless (although he walked three times) in the doubleheader. It was the second time this year he was without a hit in two straight games - the first being the other twinbill the Captains played at home, on June 25 against El Paso.Frichter was 5-for-7 with four runs scored in the two games.Jameson Maj (2-0) got six of the seven men he faced out to earn the win in the nightcap.

The Shreveport-Bossier Captains conclude their four-game series against the Fort Worth Cats on Monday, July 12, at 7:05 p.m. for Jose Cuervo Presents Margarita Monday/Ladies' Night. All women over 21 get in to Fair Grounds Field for free and Jose Cuervo margaritas are discounted throughout the game. All games are broadcast on ESPN Radio, KRMD-1340 AM as well as streaming live on supertalk1340.com. 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.

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



American Association Stories from July 12, 2010


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.

OurSports Central