Rodriguez Goes Seven Strong as Captains Win Finale in Lincoln 5-2

Published on June 12, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


LINCOLN, Neb.---Captains starter Osvaldo Rodriguez (2-1) allowed just two runs on eight hits in seven innings of work as Shreveport-Bossier defeated Lincoln 5-2 at Haymarket Park to salvage the final game of a three-game set with the Saltdogs. Rodriguez has now allowed just four earned runs in 21 innings pitched over his last three starts.

Saltdogs starter Tim Brown (2-4) was nearly as good, also going seven strong and allowing just four runs on nine hits. The Captains scored all five of their runs with two outs and Rodriguez worked his way out of some late-inning jams to preserve the win.

The game was scoreless going into the fourth inning when Robert Perry was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. He moved to third when Bryan Sabatella hit into a double play, and scored on Palmer Karr Jr.'s two-out single to right to give the Captains the 1-0 lead. Shreveport-Bossier would make it 4-0 in the next inning. Perry scored Brian Peterson with a two-out single and Sabatella's two-run double to left would score Cowart and Perry from first to make it a four-run advantage.

The Saltdogs got on the board in the fifth on a Kevin Rios RBI single. Yet with no outs, a run in, and the bases loaded, Rodriguez unleashed a dominant string of pitches. He got catcher Pat Trettel to foul out to first, then struck out first baseman Phil Hawke and right fielder Curt Smith, the latter on three straight breaking balls to get out of the inning.

In the sixth, Lincoln threatened again, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Again, Rodriguez went into shutdown mode, getting third baseman Brandon Jones, the walk-off hero in Saturday night's contest, to fly out to center. Second baseman Joe Ramos then flew out to right and Rios hit into an inning-ending fielder's choice.

American Association batting leader Blake Gailen, who went just 3-for-12 in the series, led off the seventh with a triple and scored on Hawke's sacrifice fly to center to make it 4-2 Captains.

Shreveport-Bossier would add a run in the ninth when Alex Cowart hit a two-out double to left and then scored on Mike Provencher's RBI single. Cowart, appearing in his first game of the series, went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

After Rodriguez left the game after seven, the Captains bullpen got the job done. Jake McCarter pitched a perfect eighth with one strike out. Closer Dan Griffin (Sv, 8), retried the Saltdogs in order in the ninth and got some help from his defense. Cowart cut off a line drive in left off the bat of Rios for the first out of the inning and Fricther made a terrific bare-handed play on a slow grounder off the bat of Gailen for the second out. Trettel grounded out to Provencher to end it and give the Captains their 15th win of the year.

Lincoln manager Marty Scott was thrown out of the game in the sixth inning by third base umpire Danny Hymel. Scott had argued that Captains shortstop Uriak Marquez was out at second as he tried to stretch a single to right into two bases. Captains center fielder Robert Perry was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and five putouts in center. Sabatella extended his hitting streak to 16 games, going 1-for-2 with two RBIs, a double and two walks.

The Captains are currently 15-14 on the year and 1-2 on their current six-game road trip. Shreveport-Bossier will send Joel Kirsten (3-1, 4.70) to the mound Monday night in Wichita against Wingnuts left-hander Ryan Hinson (3-2, 3.94). Game time is 7:05 at Lawrence Dumont Stadium.

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