WhiteWings shut out Cats twice in DH

June 21, 2012 - North American League (NAmL)
Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings News Release


HARLINGEN - The Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings moved into sole possession of first place in the United League by shutting out the Ft. Worth Cats twice in a doubleheader from the Ft. Worth Cats, 1-2, 0-0.

In the first game, Rio Grande Valley's Celson Polanco and Ft. Worth's Steven Barnes were involved in a spectacular pitcher's duel that was scoreless after the scheduled seven innings. The WhiteWings (17-10) won when shortstop Leugim Barroso singled to deep left field with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the eighth to drive in pinch-runner James Mays.

Polanco (4-1) fanned six, walked none and allowed six hits in an 85-pitch effort. The 6-4, 250-pound righthander lowered his earned run average to 1.29.

"When I first started I didn't feel comfortable," he said, referring to a hole in the pitcher's mound at Harlingen Field after Wednesday's rainout. "But when I went on I felt really good.

"My change and splitter were working. Fastball was a bit high, but I got control of it."

Barnes (3-1), a 6-2, 185-pound righthander, allowed only one hit in the first seven innings. He struck out three and walked two in his first defeat of the season. Both pitchers threw complete games.

In the second game, lefthander Henry Garcia (1-0), in his first start of the season, shut out the Cats (16-11) through 5 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one walk. When he allowed two men to reach in the sixth, Wander Perez, in his first appearance of the season, earned a save by retiring all five batters he faced.

Rio Grande Valley scored single unearned runs in the bottom of the second and fifth innings on sacrifice flies from first baseman Mario Mercedes and right fielder Francisco Santana, respectively. Ft. Worth's Trevor Harden (1-4) suffered the loss despite not allowing any earned runs and throwing a complete game, yielding four hits in six innings.

The WhiteWings host the McAllen Thunder tonight at 7:05 p.m. in the first game of a four game series. The Valley Morning Star will feature a promotion where fans bringing a paper airplane, found in today's newspaper, can win two free airline tickets to wherever Southwest airlines flies.



North American League Stories from June 21, 2012


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