Cats Beat AirHogs, 14-8
By EMIL MOFFATT
Updated 9:30 AM CST, Sat, Jun 27, 2009
The Cats scored 14 unanswered runs, rallying from a seven-run first-inning deficit for a 14-8 win on Friday night in Grand Prairie.
The win sealed the first-half division title as the Cats secured a playoff berth for the fifth straight season.
Grand Prairie jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning against Cats' starter Matt Gibbs. Aaron Garza hit a leadoff home run for a 1-0 advantage. After Cesar Nicolas reached on an error, Mike Conroy brought him home with an RBI triple. Later in the inning, Grand Prairie got run-scoring singles from JB Tucker, Ron Fenwick and Angel Nicolas for a 5-0 lead. Two more runs would come home to score as the result of another error as the Cats fell behind 7-0.
Fort Worth got its rally started with a bases-loaded walk to John Allen in the third inning. They scored three more times in fifth inning beginning with an RBI single by Ryan Patterson. After John Allen came home to score on wild pitch, Pat O'Sullivan delivered a sacrifice fly to pull the Cats to within three at 7-4.
The Cats would tie the game in the sixth inning as Brian Fryer led off with a single Cameron Blair was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a foul pop up down the right-field line by Patterson. Fryer would score on an RBI ground out by Allen, Blair scored on an RBI double by O'Sullivan and O'Sullivan scored to tie the game on an RBI double by Michael Bell.
Fort Worth took the lead in the seventh inning as Fryer singled home Isa Garcia to make it 8-7.
The Cats would break the game open in the top of the ninth inning as they scored six. The inning was highlighted by RBI singles by Chuck Carter, Blair and Patterson. O'Sullivan drew a bases-loaded walk and two runs scored on wild pitches in the ninth.
Tyler Pearson (1-0) notched his first win in a Cats' uniform as he worked a scoreless sixth inning prior to the Cats taking the lead. Matt Gibbs the starter, settled down after permitting seven runs, four earned in the first inning to go five innings.
Luke Prihoda, who allowed a run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings suffered the loss as his record dropped to 2-1.
O'Sullivan was 1-for-4 with three RBIs and extended his hitting streak to 22 games, tying the American Association record. Fryer's three-hit performance extended his hit streak to 16 straight games.
The series continues on Saturday night, game time 7:05 p.m. in Grand Prairie as Ryan Riddle goes to the mound for Fort Worth.
First Published: Jun 27, 2009 9:25 AM CST
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