GARY | The RailCats play their final game of the regular season -- which turns out to be the final game of 2012 thanks to missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year -- against Laredo on Monday.
The team is taking its last batting practice of the season with the season ticket holders snagging fly balls in the outfield and taking a few swings against Greg Tagert's soft toss.
Prior to the game, the RailCats announced that they'll hold a press conference on Thursday to disclose terms of the new stadium naming rights contract.
The RailCats are honoring their host families before the game with a big group photo and special bats to the families. American Association rules allow for only veteran players or certain players under contract to have an apartment that is paid for by the team, so all other players are placed in host homes around the region.
Tonight's lineup:
Laredo (54-45)
7 Jimmy Mojica SS
4 Philip Incaviglia CF
30 John Allen LF
40 Javier Brito 1B
18 Uriak Marquez 3B
54 Stephen Pearson RF
17 Kevin Butler C
9 Anthony Scelfo 2B
33 Gab Zavala P <- note that the pitcher is hitting, no DH
RHP Gab Zavala (1-0, 10.39 ERA)
RailCats (49-50)
36 Adam Klein RF
3 Mike Massaro CF
18 Chris Carrara 2B
2 Ryan Babineau C
4 Mike Rohde 1B
30 Brian Kolb 3B
16 Trevor Wilils DH
20 Eric Suttle LF
9 David Cooper SS
RHP Stephen Hiscock (5-6, 3.26 ERA)
First inning
Jimmy Mojica pops out foul on the first pitch he sees. Philip Incaviglia takes a pitch before grounding out to short. John Allen strikes out in three pitches. Mid 1st inning: Lemurs 0, RailCats 0
Adam Klein singles up the middle. Gab Zavala, in his first start, is hitting mid-high 90s on the stadium radar gun. Mike Massaro smacks his 12th triple of the season, scoring Klein. Chris Carrara strikes out looking. Tagert said that despite an injured thumb, Carrara asked to be put in the lineup. Ryan Babineau grounds out to short, scoring Massaro. Mike Rohde pops out foul. End 1st inning: RailCats 2, Lemurs 0
Second inning
Javier Brito strikes out. Uriak Marquez singles into shallow left. Stephen Pearson singles up the middle, moving Marquez to second. Kevin Butler flies out to center. Anthony Scelfo grounds out to second. Mid 2nd inning: RailCats 2, Lemurs 0
Brian Kolb is hit by a pitch. Trevor Willis is walked on a 3-2 pitch. Eric Suttle strikes out checking his swing. David Cooper flies out to left. Adam Klein loads the bases on his second single of the game. Mike Massaro flies out to right. End 2nd inning: RailCats 2, Lemurs 0
Third inning
In his first at-bat of the season, Gab Zavala strikes out swinging. Jimmy Mojica grounds out to first. Philip Incaviglia pops out to second. Mid 3rd inning: RailCats 2, Lemurs 0
Chris Carrara strikes out swinging. Ryan Babineau grounds out to third, apparently he's OK after having a visit with the athletic trainer. Mike Rohde also strikes out swinging. End 3rd inning: RailCats 2, Lemurs 0
Fourth inning
John Allen flies out to right field. Javier Brito grounds out to short. Uriak Marquez flies out to right. That's another six-pitch inning for Stephen Hiscock. Mid 4th inning: RailCats 2, Lemurs 0
New Lemurs pitcher is Leonard Giammanco, who was the starting pitcher on Sunday. Brian Kolb strikes out swinging. Trevor Willis singles up the middle. Eric Suttle follows with a single that moves Willis to third base. Suttle steals second. David Cooper singles to score Willis. Cooper is caught stealing second. Adam Klein singles to score Suttle. On the third pitch to Mike Massaro, Klein steals second. Massaro flies out to left and there's an extra ball on the field as the pitcher warming up in the Lemurs pen lets one get away. End 4th inning: RailCats 4, Lemurs 0
Fifth inning
A throwing error by David Cooper at short puts leadoff hitter Stephen Pearson on second base. Kevin Butler singles to short, the ball is caught by Cooper, who slides and can't get it to first in time, so he holds it. Kevin Butler is walked to load the bases. Leonard Giammanco grounds to the mound where Pearson is taken out on the fielder's choice. Jimmy Mojica is hit by a pitch, scoring Butler as an unearned run. Philip Incaviglia grounds into a double play. Mid 5th inning: RailCats 4, Lemurs 1
New Laredo pitcher is Alex Jones. Chris Carrara grounds out to second. Ryan Babineau singles. Mike Rohde grounds out to first, putting Babineau on second. Brian Kolb grounds out to short. End 5th inning: RailCats 4, Lemurs 1
Sixth inning
John Allen singles past a diving Brian Kolb at third. Javier Brito pops out foul to catcher Ryan Babineau. Uriak Marquez hits a homer into the right field seats that also scores Allen. Stephen Pearson flies out to left. Kevin Butler strikes out. Mid 6th inning: RailCats 4, Lemurs 3
Trevor Willis grounds out to second. Eric Suttle strikes out swinging. David Cooper is walked. Cooper is trying really hard to take on that RailCats franchise stolen base record, but has been cut off at second twice today. End 6th inning: RailCats 4, Lemurs 3
Seventh inning
Anthony Scelfo grounds out to second. Alex Jones -- the No. 9 hitter as a pitcher -- strikes out. Jimmy Mojica strikes out swinging, but reaches first as it's a wild pitch. Philip Incaviglia pops out to second. Mid 7th inning: RailCats 4, Lemurs 3
Adam Klein singles. He's 4-for-4 tonight. Mike Massaro is walked. Chris Carrara lays down a bunt foul, technically a third strike. Ryan Babineau grounds out to third. End 7th inning: RailCats 4, Lemurs 3
Eighth inning
New RailCats pitcher is Dexter Carter, filling in for Stephen Hiscock, who went 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 WP, 1 HB. John Allen grounds out to second. Javier Brito strikes out looking. Uriak Marquez flies out to deeeeep center field. Mid 8th inning: RailCats 4, Lemurs 3
Mike Rohde flies out to left field. Brian Kolb singles into shallow left, the ball landing between two fielders. Trevor Willis hits a ground ball that takes out Kolb at second. Eric Suttle is hit by a pitch. David Cooper is walked to load the bases. Adam Klein is walked to score Willis. That's the 82nd walk of Klein's year, a career high. Mike Massaro grounds out to second. End 8th inning: RailCats 5, Lemurs 3
Ninth inning
Marco Gonzalez enters to close out the game. Stephen Pearson strikes out swinging. Kevin Butler tries to lay down a bunt, is taken out at first. Anthony Scelfo grounds out to second. Final score: RailCats 5, Lemurs 3. Final record: 50-50.
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