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Torres' Early Homer Sparks Easy Win

July 24, 2009 - American Association (AA)
Shreveport-Bossier Captains News Release


SHREVEPORT, La. - Against the rest of the league, Fort Worth Cats righthander Jae Jung has been superb. He has held opponents to 14 earned runs in 75 innings in 10 starts and 11 games overall, a 1.68 ERA with a .179 opponent's batting average and a 33-to-9 strikeout to walk ratio. Against the Shreveport-Bossier Captains, however, Jung has struggled mightily. The Captains have battered him for 13 runs on 18 hits in 11 innings, with three walks and three strikeouts, a batting average of .383 and an ERA of 10.64, but more importantly are 2-0 in games that Jung has started against them.

The second of those came Friday night, as Shreveport-Bossier scored four runs in the first inning, three on a home run by Jose Torres, and cruised to a 12-4 victory in front of 2,613 fans at Fair Grounds Field.

Bryan Sabatella started the carnage with a single off Jung (4-2), and then stole second. Richard Paz then laid down a perfect bunt to the right side, as Jung flipped it to first baseman John Allen, who was trying to field the ball as well and as a result was nowhere near the base. But Sabatella turned third and tried to score, and Allen fired to the plate to get him for the first out of the inning.

The Captains (33-30, 11-4 2nd half) kept coming though, as Christopher Garcia singled to put runners at first and second. After Andres Rodriguez lined out to right-center, Selwyn Langaigne dumped a sinking liner into left-center for an RBI single. Then Torres, the Captains' hottest hitter of late, stepped up and crushed the first pitch he saw to deep left-center for a three-run homer, his second of the season.

Fort Worth (38-25, 8-7) got an unearned run in the second off lefty Logan Williamson (8-2) when Rodriguez lost track of the baserunners and tried to get a force when there was none, but redeemed himself in the bottom of the inning. After Paz doubled to start the frame, Garcia moved him to third with a grounder. Rodriguez then laced a double to right-center to restore the Captains' four-run lead.

After Jung settled down in the next two innings, the Captains knocked him out in the sixth. Rodriguez started the inning with a triple down the rightfield line, and scored on a groundout by Langaigne. Torres then drew a walk, and moved to third on a single by Dwayne White. White then stole second, forcing the infield in, and Kevin Griffin lined an RBI single through the infield to make the score 7-1. Dan Williams then lined one to center for a sacrifice fly to knock out Jung after 5 2/3 innings. The righty was charged with eight runs and 11 hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.

Williamson faced two base runners in the third and fifth, but did not break until the eighth. With one out, Pat O'Sullivan reached on a strikeout that got away from Griffin, and then two straight singles loaded the bases. After Ron Fenwick's groundout brought in one run, Matt Combs grounded one to short that Williams threw away, allowing two more runs to come in and make it 8-4. Williamson departed after 7 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and four runs, but only one earned, with four walks and four strikeouts.

Matt Petty came in and got the final four outs, giving up two hits but getting two strikeouts, as the Captains got four runs off Taylor Parker in the eighth, including three on another double by Rodriguez, for the final margin of victory.

The win ensured the Captains of at least a split in the four-game series with the Cats and improved their record in July to 15-5.

Notes: The game was the first for the Captains in their last 12 where either team scored at least 10 runs, since the Captains beat Grand Prairie 15-10 on July 8...Shreveport-Bossier is now 7-3 against Fort Worth this season...Sabatella is 8-for-14 in the series with three RBIs...The 3-4-5 hitters in the Cats order went 1-for-13, while the Captains' equivalent trio of Garcia, Rodriguez and Langaigne went 6-for-13 with six RBIs.

The Shreveport-Bossier Captains conclude their four-game series with South Division first-half champion Fort Worth on Saturday, July 25, at 7:05 p.m. with Turn Back the Clock Night, presented by Willis-Knighton. The Captains will wear throwback Captains uniforms and salute the old Shreveport Captains by raising their Texas League championship flags during the game. 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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