Rodriguez Solid Again as Captains Shut Out Cats

Published on June 15, 2010 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


SHREVEPORT, La. - Osvaldo Rodriguez continued his great start to 2010, combining with two relievers on a five-hitter, and the Shreveport-Bossier Captains got three runs in the fourth inning and one in the eighth to beat the Fort Worth Cats 4-0 Tuesday night in front of 1,369 fans at Fair Ground Field, remaining tied with the Grand Prairie AirHogs for first place in the south division.

After going down in order in the first, Shreveport-Bossier threatened in the next two innings against lefty Joel Kirsten (1-3) with leadoff singles, but was unable to push across a run. The Captains (17-13) broke through in the fourth after Palmer Karr was hit by a pitch in the left arm to start the inning. Andres Rodriguez then lined a shot to left-center that was misjudged by Jeremy Sauceda for a double. Bryan Frichter then doubled over Sauceda's head for two runs to open the scoring, before Uriak Marquez popped a bunt over Kirsten for a hit. Brian Peterson followed that up with a sacrifice fly to right-center to give the Captains a 3-0 cushion.

That was all the offense that Osvaldo Rodriguez (7-0) and the Captains bullpen needed. Fort Worth (13-17) had just two runners to second base in the game, as Rodriguez went 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts, allowing four hits, two walks and a hit batter. He gave up two-out baserunners in the first and second, got a 1-2-3 third and a three-batter fourth after a caught stealing.

The righty allowed another leadoff hit in the fifth, but got Stantrel Smith to hit into a 6-3 double play. Then, Rodriguez got into his only real jam of the game. Adam Resendez reached on an infield single and Sauceda walked, but Brian Fryer flied out to right to end the inning.

After a three-batter sixth, Rodriguez got the first batter of the seventh inning, before Kelley Gulledge reached on an error. But Rodriguez struck out Smith, and then was lifted to the applause of the crowd. Jameson Maj came in and got a line drive out to first on the first pitch he threw to Resendez to end the inning. Maj then spun a scoreless eighth after allowing a leadoff bloop double, and new signee Hector Carrasco pitched a perfect ninth to end it.

The Captains got their last run in the bottom of the eighth, chasing hard-luck loser Kirsten with an RBI single from Jovanny Rosario to score Bryan Sabatella. The Cats starter went 7 2/3 innings, and allowed 11 hits and three walks, but only gave up the four runs, stranding 10 Captains baserunners.

Notes: Joe Urtuzuastegui had his third straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a walk...The Captains have scored eight of their nine runs off Kirsten this year in two of the 13 different innings he has pitched in against them...John Allen was the only Cats player with more than one hit, and Sauceda's bloop double off Maj in the eighth was their only extra-base hit...The Captains stole four bases in the game, including two by Sabatella to take over the league lead by one over Rosario at 18-17.

The Shreveport-Bossier Captains continue their three-game series with the Fort Worth Cats on Wednesday, June 16, at 7:05 p.m. The game is Willis Knighton Wednesday, where all kids 12 and under get a free meal with a paid ticket to the game. It is also Bark at the Park, where all dogs on leashes are invited to Fair Grounds Field at no additional cost. All games are broadcast on ESPN Radio, KRMD-1340 AM as well as streaming live on supertalk1340.com.

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



American Association Stories from June 15, 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