Fort Worth Cats 1, Grand Prairie 0

The Fort Worth Cats keep themselves in the playoffs, taking the series 2-1.

Dan Grybash threw seven shutout innings with 10 strikeouts and no walks, as the Fort Worth Cats topped the Grand Prairie AirHogs 1-0 on Thursday night. The AirHogs lead in the Southern Division Championship series has been cut to 2-1 in the best-of-five series.

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Nelson Teilon scored the only run for Fort Worth in the top of the second. He hit a high-towering homerun into left field to put the Cats on top 1-0.

Grand Prairie had several opportunities to tie the game up. In total they would strand seven runners on base.

In the bottom of the second, Grand Prairie had runners on first and third with one out but could not bring in the lead run.

G.P. had a great opportunity in the bottom of the eighth. With the tying run on second base in Brandon Carter, Drew Holder hit a line drive into left field. However, Ed Montague dove and made the grab to end the inning and prevent Carter from crossing home plate.

In the bottom of the ninth, the AirHogs had one last chance. Edwin Maldonado reached on a single to short that Paul Bartolucci threw errantly to first. He advanced to second representing the tieing run. Affter a Derek Nicholson fly out, J.B. Tucker was walked with two away. Mike Conroy struck out facing the closer Jon Hunton to end the game.

Tucker finished the game 3-for-3 with two singles, a double, and an intentional walk.

Jeff Jamnik (0-1) started for Grand Prairie and earned the loss. He went 2.1 innings allowing one run, it was earned, on four hits with no walks and one strikeout. Vinnie DeChristofaro, John Wesley, and Geivy Garcia combined to pitch 6.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Dan Grybash (1-0) earned the victory starting for Fort Worth. He lasted seven solid innings, allowing no runs on four hits with no walks and 10 Ks. Jon Hunton (1 SV) earned his first save of the post season, throwing a scoreless ninth inning with a walk and a strikeout.

Grand Prairie will take on the Fort Worth Cats on Friday night in game four of the Southern Division Championship at QuikTrip Park. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM.

Source: Grand Prairie AirHogs