Capahas can't hold leads, fall 10-9

The Plaza Tire Capahas could not hold several leads Wednesday night and suffered a 10-9 loss to the host St. Louis Golden Spikes.

Plaza Tire led 5-0 in the third inning and 8-4 in the eighth inning before the Golden Spikes forged an 8-8 tie with four runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Zach Johnson's two-out, RBI single in the top of the ninth put the Capahas back on top 9-8, but the Golden Spikes used four straight one-out singles in the bottom of the frame to score twice and pull out the victory.

The Capahas fell to 12-3, while the Golden Spikes improved to 28-11. The same squads will square off Saturday in a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau.

"They have a really good hitting ballclub," Plaza Tire manager Jess Bolen said. "It was an aluminum bat game and it's about what you'd expect. Both teams hit the ball well."

The Capahas had 17 hits while the Golden Spikes finished with 16 hits.

Johnson went 4-for-4, including a home run and a double.

"Zach had a great night, and he came through with a big hit in the ninth inning to put us ahead," Bolen said.

Zach Blemker also went 4-for-4, with a double, for the Capahas.

Omar Padilla went 3-for-5, while Asif Shah tripled and had two hits.

Shah, seeing his first pitching action for the Capahas, suffered the loss. He went 8 1/3 innings and was charged with all 10 runs, six earned, on 14 hits. He struck out five and walked six.

Josh Parham faced two batters and both singled, including the hit that drove in the winning run.

"It was just one of those games that could have gone either way," Bolen said. "Now we'll see them again Saturday at our place."