Caps get forfeit win over Redbirds

~ Car trouble for Fairview Heights resulted in a victory for Plaza Tire.

The Plaza Tire Capahas were defeated by the visiting Fairview Heights (Ill.) Redbirds Saturday afternoon.

But officially the Capahas were still able to notch their third consecutive victory.

With Fairview Heights having only eight players available for the contest at Capaha Field, Plaza Tire won by forfeit.

The teams decided to go ahead and play anyway in what amounted to an exhibition game, with the Redbirds using the Capahas' Jason Chavez at first base to field a full squad. Fairview Heights won 6-2.

"Instead of them driving back home without playing any baseball, this worked out better," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "This way both teams got in some at-bats and the pitchers got some work."

Fairview Heights being short of a full team Saturday was certainly not by design. An automobile carrying four of the Redbirds broke down in the St. Louis area and that quartet could not make it to Cape Girardeau.

"It's a shame but those things happen. We've had vehicles break down before on the way to games," Bolen said.

With the forfeit, the Capahas improved to 10-5 while the Redbirds fell to 9-6. Fairview Heights had previously won two of three meetings with Plaza Tire this season.

"They've got a good ballclub," Bolen said.

Particularly impressive Saturday was pitcher Rob Blumberg, who allowed two runs and eight hits over eight innings for his second win over the Capahas this month.

Blumberg played last year for the Gateway Grizzlies independent professional team.

"He throws the ball well," Bolen said. "When he pitched against us last time, somebody had him clocked at 92 [miles per hour]. I'm sure he was hitting about 89 to 91 today, especially at the start of the game."

The Redbirds broke a scoreless tie by scoring four runs on five hits in the fourth inning against Kyle Perry.

Perry allowed seven hits in six innings, with nine strikeouts and no walks. Matt Stroup allowed an unearned run and one hit in two innings, while Jamie McAlister gave up an unearned run and one hit in the ninth. Stroup and McAlister both fanned two.

Chris Gibson had three hits for the Capahas, who avoided a shutout by scoring two eighth-inning runs, on an RBI double by Bryan Kurt and an RBI single by Zach Johnson.