The American Association’s All-Star break couldn’t have come at a better time for the Fort Worth Cats and their pitching staff.

Not all the Cats get the three-day break because the team is sending nine players and manager Chad Tredaway to the game in St. Paul on Tuesday. But for the Cats, any rest is a good thing after they pieced together a five-pitcher showing just to get through Sunday night’s 8-2 loss to Pensacola in front of 2,821 fans at LaGrave Field.

Starter Lee Gwaltney shouldn’t have started as he battles a shoulder injury, Tredaway said, but did so to help a Fort Worth bullpen that is tired and heavily used heading into the break.

"We didn’t use them to get work in tonight," Tredaway said. "We used them because that’s all we had. There’s no question that our staff needs some rest."

Gwaltney dominated opponents until his latest two starts, posting a 7-0 record and throwing into the seventh inning each outing. He went six innings Tuesday in taking his first loss and didn’t fare any better Sunday, throwing just 3 2/3 innings before exiting.

Pensacola left runners stranded in the first and second innings but loaded the bases on two singles and a walk before Josh Morgan singled home a pair.

There was more in the fourth, as all nine Pelicans (5-14) batted in the inning. The key hit was a two-run triple by Francisco Leandro.

Gwaltney’s night ended during the inning, and he gave up seven hits and four walks. He was charged with seven earned runs.

"If my bullpen was healthy enough, I wouldn’t even have pitched him tonight," Tredaway said. "I did that for us, trying to give us innings. Tonight was really a struggle to get nine innings; that’s how our bullpen is right now."

The Cats (11-8) got two runs back, loading the bases in the fifth inning, with Aaron Sisk scoring on an error.

A Jake Gautreau sacrifice fly scored Jonas Fester in the seventh.

ONLINE: fwcats.com