Five-Run Rally Leads To 9-5 Travs Win
Published on May 11, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Drillers Stadium, Tulsa, OK - Hainley Statia's three-run triple highlighted a five-run sixth inning as the Travs rallied for a 9-5 victory over the Drillers on a windy night. With the game tied, 3-3, the Travs sent ten batters to the plate and collected seven base hits to storm in front for good. OF Drew Toussaint drove in three runs on two base hits, while both OF Jordan Czarniecki and 3B Adam Morrissey had three hits apiece. The Travs finished with 17 base hits to tie their season-high. RHP Dan Denham (2-4) finally got some run support and earned the win allowing three runs (two earned) with five strikeouts in six innings.
With the win, the Travs split the four-game series at Tulsa and finish their road trip 3-5. With a 14-22 record, the Travs hold third place over Tulsa by one game and stand five games out of first place.
A leadoff double from Morrissey in the second inning and a fielding error by Tulsa SS Chris Nelson set up Toussaint. With runners at second and third and the Drillers infield playing up, Toussaint singled to center giving the Travs a 2-0 lead.
With 35-MPH gusts blowing, Morrissey dropped Tony Blanco's pop-up to begin the bottom of the second. On a hit-and-run play, Jeff Kindel singled to left moving Blanco to third base. Daniel Carte hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Blanco, then Denham served up a two-run homer to Justin Nelson giving Tulsa a 3-2 lead.
Mike Collins and Ben Johnson connected on back-to-back doubles off RHP Alan Johnson (1-5) in the third inning to tie the game, at 3-3.
Denham left runners at second and third in the third inning and retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced.
The winning rally in the sixth began with a double by Corey Smith down the third-base line. Johnson threw a wild pitch to move Smith to third base. With one out, Toussaint punched a single through the left side of a drawn-up infield to bring home the go-ahead run. Czarniecki singled and Adam Greenberg followed with a pop-up that fell between three fielders in short center to load the bases. Statia then ripped a 1-0 pitch past the right fielder for a three-run triple and a 7-3 lead.
What followed was a bizarre at-bat where Statia was caught in a rundown when Collins bounced to short. Tulsa C Neil Wilson ran Statia back to third and tagged him while Collins ran for second base. Wilson's throw to second bounced into right-center field and between CF Dexter Fowler and RF Daniel Carte allowing Collins to score for an 8-3 lead.
Denham gave way to RHP Francisco Rodriguez in the seventh inning. The Drillers had the makins of a rally in the eighth when they loaded the bases with one out. Rodriguez forced in a run with a walk, then RHP Kevin Jepsen relieved and walked in another run. With the Travs' lead down to three runs, Statia caught a liner from Fowler and doubled Wilson off first base to get out of the inning.
New Travs OF Anderson Rosario hit a one-out single off RHP Jarrett Grube in the ninth in plate of Toussaint. Czarniecki singled and Greenberg walked to load the bases again for Statia, who answered with a sacrifice fly for his fourth RBI.
Jepsen (5th save) closed the game in the ninth inning.
Time of game was 2:54 and the paid attendance was 5,531.
The Travs have Mother's Day off and return to action Monday night at home against the Springfield Cardinals. Pitching for the Travs will be RHP Fernando Rodriguez, while Springfield counters with RHP Cory Rauschenberger. First pitch at Dickey-StephensPark is set for 7:10 p.m. and the gates open at 6:10 p.m.
Texas League Stories from May 11, 2008
- Five-Run Rally Leads To 9-5 Travs Win - Arkansas Travelers
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