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Arkansas Travelers

Ray Winder Field goes out in style with 7-3 win

September 3, 2006 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


Ray Winder Field, Little Rock, AR - In the last game at their 74-year old ballpark, the Arkansas Travelers (28-42, 51-87) rallied for five runs in the first inning and went on for a 7-3 victory over the Springfield Cardinals (27-43, 66-72). 1B Greg Porter hit the last home run (20) at Ray Winder Field capping the first inning with a three-run shot and finished 3-for-4 with five RBI. 2B Eric Rodland began the scoring with a two-run homer (8) in the first and was 2-for-4 to finish the season with a .300 batting average. A paid crowd of 8,307, the second largest in the 100-year history of the Arkansas Travelers, was in attendance as RHP Jesse Smith (8-13) went six innings for the victory. Smith struck out a season-high seven batters over six innings and allowed three runs on five base hits and four walks. RHP Miguel Gonzalez (4) earned the save with three shutout relief innings on one base hit. Springfield RHP Mike Parisi (9-8) lasted just 3.2 innings allowing six runs on seven hits and six walks.

Long lines waited before Ray Winder Field's gates opened at 12 noon and fans were treated to perfect weather and a pre-game ceremony that included the ceremonial first pitch thrown by Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

The game began oddly when Smith hit Springfield CF Shaun Boyd with the first pitch. However he got out of the inning leaving two men on base.

Parisi retired the first two batters of the Travs' first inning, but SS Sean Rodriguez beat a grounder to third base for a single and Rodland followed with a high drive over the right-field wall for a 2-0 lead. CF Terry Evans followed with a walk and advanced to second base on a single from DH Bobby Wilson. Then on a 1-1 count, Porter lashed a line drive over the right-field wall on the final home run at Ray Winder Field.

Leading 5-0 in the third inning, Evans hit a leadoff double inside third base and moved to third base with one out on a wild pitch. With the Cardinals infield drawn in, Porter hit a groundball into right field plating Wilson for a 6-0 lead.

Smith allowed no hits until Springfield LF Cody Haerther began the fourth with a single to right. After taking second base on a groundout, Haerther scored when DH Travis Hanson singled into right field. The Cardinals almost scored another run when 1B Gabe Johnson hit a long fly off the right-field wall. But Hanson stopped around third base while Johnson ran for second and was caught in a rundown and tagged out by Rodriguez to end the frame.

Parisi left the game in the fourth giving way to LHP Troy Cate who held the Travs at bay until the seventh inning.

Smith issued a leadoff walk in the sixth inning to C Iker Franco, but he was forced at second on a fielder's choice. A two-out homer to right field by Johnson (9) brought the Cardinals within 6-3.

The last run at Ray Winder Field was scored in the bottom of the seventh inning off Cate. Wilson doubled to the right-field corner and scored when Porter blooped a single close to the left-field line.

Time of game was 2:35.

To view the boxscore, please click here

The Travelers finish the Texas League second half in third place thanks to Sunday's win. Now a new era of Arkansas Travelers baseball begins in the 2007 in North Little Rock at Dickey-Stephens Park.

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