Strawn Goes 7.2 Innings, Earns First Pro Win as Captains Take Rubber Game from AirHogs 5-4

Published on July 28, 2011 under American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


SHREVEPORT, La.---Captains rookie pitcher Josh Strawn (1-0) earned his first professional win Thursday night at Fair Grounds Field, going 7.2 innings as Shreveport-Bossier defeated Grand Prairie 5-4 to take two of three from the first place AirHogs.

Strawn threw 107 pitches (66 strikes) in his longest outing of the season. He allowed four runs on 10 hits while walking four and striking out four. Strawn got key groundball outs all game, as Grand Prairie left nine men on, one batter in every inning. Jameson Maj (Sv, 2) earned his first save since May by getting the final four outs of the game.

AirHogs starter John Brownell (8-3) was the tough luck loser, striking out 10 in 7.2 innings and allowing five runs on ten hits. Brownell struck out nine of the 10 batters he K'ed from the fifth inning on, striking out the side in both the sixth and seventh innings.

Bryan Sabatella led the Captains offense. After going 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in the first two games of the series, the Shreveport-Bossier rightfielder hit two triples in his first two at bats, both scoring Robert Perry. In the first inning, Sabatella's triple to right-center put the Captains on the board. He would come in to score on Palmer Karr Jr.'s sacrfice fly to make it 2-0 Shreveport-Bossier.

The AirHogs got their first run off Strawn in the second when Jake Taylor scored on a Zane Chavez base hit.

In the third, Shreveport-Bossier would extend the lead with three runs. After Perry led off the inning with a walk, Sabatella hit another triple to make it 3-1. Karr would knock in Sabatella again with a base hit. Following an Andres Rodriguez double, Uriak Marquez grounded out to first, scoring Karr and making it 5-1.

Grand Prairie would work there way back into the game with one run in the fourth and two in the sixth. A Tyler Henley sac fly in the fourth would make it 5-2 Captains. In the sixth, Taylor, Guillermo Martinez and Chavez all singled to start the frame, with Chavez's hit scoring Taylor. Henley's second sac fly of the night scored Martinez and cut the lead to one.

But with Chavez, the tying run at third, newly-acquired leftfielder Jeremy Sauceda hit a grounder to short. Captains shortstop John Johnson fielded the ball and threw home. Catcher Brian Peterson applied the tag to preserve the Shreveport-Bossier lead. Strawn then got centerfielder David Thomas to ground out to end the inning.

The AirHogs put the tying run on again to lead off the eighth when Martinez singled, but Brian Peterson threw him out trying to steal second. Thomas led off the ninth and was hit by a Jameson Maj pitch. Johnson made a defensively savvy play once again when Bryan Frichter hit a ground ball up the middle. Johnson snared it near the second base bag, stepped on the base and threw to first for the double play. After David Espinosa singled with two outs, Maj got Chris McMurray to line out to third baseman Andres Rodriguez to end the game.

Sabatella went 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs and two triples. Palmer Karr Jr. was 1-for-3 with a run and 2 RBIs. Catcher Brian Peterson had a 3-for-3 night. For the AirHogs, Jake Taylor was 2-for-3 with two runs. Guillermo Martinez went 3-for-4 with two runs and Zane Chavez was 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

With the win, the Captains improve to 33-37, 10.5 games behind the AirHogs in the South Division and eight behind St. Paul in the Wild Card race. Shreveport-Bossier has won five of their last seven since snapping their seven-game losing streak on July 20. The Captains open up a three-game set with the Amarillo Sox Friday night at Fair Grounds Field on Willis-Knighton Back to School Bash w/Shots for Tots & Turn Back the Clock Night/Buffalo Wild Wings Kids Run the Bases/MetroPCS Youth League Night. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. Gates open at 6:05.

Season tickets and single-game tickets to the Captains are available for purchase in-person or over the phone by visiting the Captains Executive Offices at 2901 Pershing Boulevard at Fair Grounds Field or by calling (318) 636-5555. VISA, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted.

For more information about season and individual game tickets, game times, promotions, marketing opportunities, full game schedule, and everything else Captains, visit the "Official Website of the Shreveport-Bossier Captains" by logging onto www.sbcaptains.com.

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



American Association Stories from July 28, 2011


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