Thursday, August 02, 2012

El Paso starter throws six-hitter to win pitchers’ duel 3-1

EL PASO, Texas – Scott Hodsdon threw 112 pitches to six-hit the Grand Prairie AirHogs on Thursday, as the El Paso Diablos won the rubber match of the three-game series at Cohen Stadium in a rare (for El Paso) 3-1 pitchers’ duel.

Hodsdon (6-2) did not allow a hit after the fifth, struck out three and walked four and induced three double plays, including a 1-6-3 on a deflection off his own glove to finish the ballgame.

El Paso (31-37) took the lead off Josh Strawn (6-4) in the first with a two-out, two-run single by Fernando Valenzuela, Jr., and did not look back, adding a run in the sixth on a one-out single by Jermy Acey. Strawn was pulled after that and the duo of Ronnie Morales and Jakob Cunningham held the Diablos off the scoreboard the rest of the night, but the AirHogs (41-30) could not find a way back.

Bryan Frichter scored from second when leftfielder JJ Muse bobbled Keanon Simon’s third-inning single, but Simon was then thrown out coming back to the bag after he slipped rounding first. That proved costly when Jairo Perez followed with a triple, and Brian Myrow couldn’t bring him in with two outs.

The AirHogs had two on and two outs in the fifth but centerfielder Mitch Einertson ran down Perez’s drive to right-center, and after that Grand Prairie could only muster a pair of walks of Hodsdon the rest of the night.

Notes: Simon and Acey each had three hits…Hodsdon threw 10 innings in his previous start…Grand Prairie has not won any of its previous six series…Only five of the AirHogs’ outs were to the outfield, but along with Einertson’s catch in the fifth, Kenny Held was robbed of a double on a leaping catch by Muse in the second.

The 2011 American Association Champion Grand Prairie AirHogs return home to QuikTrip Park on Friday, August 3, at 7:05 p.m. to start a four-game series against the Laredo Lemurs. That night will feature a team card set giveaway, sponsored by Parkland Community Health Plan. All games are aired live and for free on Ustream by clicking on the link on the AirHogs’ home page or visiting http://www.ustream.tv/channel/airhogs-baseball with selected contests aired on Time Warner Cable’s Texas Channel. For information on tickets, promotions, advertising, and other opportunities with the AirHogs, check out the Web site at www.airhogsbaseball.com, or call the QuikTrip Park office at (972) 504-9383.