By: Alex Morales

Fort Worth, TX --- The El Paso Diablos led 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, but Fort Worth scored four runs in the inning to take a 4-1 lead. El Paso came back in the bottom of the ninth to put two runs on the board to cut the deficit to one, but left the tying run on second to fall 4-3 to the Cats on Friday night at LaGrave Field.

El Paso (20-52) once again jumped out on in front against the Cats as they scored a run in the top of the third. Third baseman Johan Garcia singled up the middle against Fort Worth starting pitcher Phillip Bartleski.

Garcia stole second and was then sacrificed to third on a bunt by shortstop Maikol Gonzalez. Garcia came home on a sacrifice fly by Albenis Machado to make the game 1-0 after three.

Fort Worth (33-38) could not figure out Diablos’ starting pitcher Alex Kaminsky who was dealing from the mound. Kaminsky through six innings allowed only two hits, but in the seventh it all went wrong for the Diablos.

First baseman Trent Lockwood started off the inning and took the first pitch he saw from Kaminsky over the right field fence to tie the game at one. Kaminsky gave up three more hits in the inning and allowed three more runs to come home. Reliever Kyle Cremers pitched out of the jam to leave the score at 4-1 after seven.

Kaminsky finished the night pitching six and two-thirds innings allowing four runs, three earned on six hits. He walked one batter and had seven strikeouts in the losing effort. It was Kaminsky’s (3-1) first loss as a member of the Diablos.

Diablos came out swinging in the top of the ninth against Bartleski who was trying to throw a complete game. First baseman Javier Brito got things going with a one-out stand up double. He came into score on a base hit by catcher Alberto Espinosa and that ended the night for Bartleski.

In came Griffin Bailey and  Espinosa moved to second on a wild pitch and came home on a base hit by right fielder Brian Joynt. After the base hit by Joynt, the Cats went to the bullpen and brought in their closer Nick DeBarr.

DeBarr walked the first batter he faced to put runners on first and second with two outs. Garcia came up with a chance to tie the game up at four, but he grounded out to DeBarr to end the game.

Bartleski (4-1) earned the win in the game as he pitched eight and one-third innings allowing two runs all earned on six hits. He walked one and struck out five.

Tomorrow night is the final game of the three-game series as the Diablos will try to avoid a sweep in the series. In this nine-game road trip  the Diablos are 1-7 through eight games. Tomorrow’s game is at 7:05 pm at LaGrave Field.