May 24, 2013
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Two-Out Runs Sink Travs

August 29, 2008 - Texas League (TL) Arkansas Travelers

Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock, Arkansas - The Arkansas Travelers' (24-43, 60-77) starting pitcher Amalio Diaz (3-4) gave up six run on 10 hits over five innings. All five runs he allowed came after two outs. All eight runs the NW Arkansas Naturals (41-26, 74-63) scored, came after two men had been retired. On the other end of the spectrum, the Travs' offense was held in check by Dan Cortes (10-4) who pitched six, no-hit innings in the Nats' 8-2 defeat of the Travs.

The Naturals threatened in every inning, collecting 15 hits overall, but in the third inning, the Nats exploded. Marc Maddox got it started with a one-out single. After a groundout to advance the runner and give the Nats two outs, Diaz then permitted the next five men to reach base with four hits and a walk. Cory Aldridge had the big hit in the inning, a two-run home run to right field. Aldridge's homer plated Juan Richardson who had singled in Maddox for his third game-winning RBI of this four-game series. Brian McFall capped the inning with a two-run double to give the Naturals a 5-0 lead and they never looked back.

A two-out single by Irving Falu in the third got the Nats' fourth-inning scoring started. He moved up to second on Richardson's second single of the game and scored on Aldridge's base hit for a 6-0 lead.

After five innings, Diaz was relieved by Yosandy Ibanez who walked the first man he faced in the sixth inning. After Richardson's third hit of the night, a double, Aldridge hit a sac fly to center to bring in the runner from third for a 7-0 lead.

Meanwhile the Travs' offense had only been able to manage a couple of walks and a hit batter but no hits. That changed in the seventh inning when NW Arkansas brought in reliever Paul Mildren to relieve Cortes. After two outs, Adam Morrissey broke up the no hitter with a clean single between shortstop and third base.

Cortes finished six innings on just 79 pitches, allowing no runs on no hits with two walks and three strikeouts to earn his 10th victory. Mildren pitched the final three innings to pick up his first save of the year.

The Nats padded their lead with another run in the eighth for an 8-0 lead but the Travs at least got on the scoreboard in the ninth. Down to the final strike of the game, Ben Johnson blooped a single over first base to bring up Morrissey who drove the first pitch he saw, deep over the left-centerfield fence. The long ball for Morrissey was his eighth of the year. The Travs got no closer however, Chris Pettit flew out to end the game and extend the Travs' streak to seven consecutive losses.

The win for the Naturals moved their magic number to one game with the Springfield Cardinals still playing at the time this was written. A Cardinals; loss would clinch the second-half division title for the Naturals.

Time of game was 2:51 and paid attendance was 5,654.

Boxscore

The Travelers open up their final series of the regular season against the Springfield Cardinals on Saturday night at 7:10. The gates will open at 6:10. Scheduled to pitch for the Travs will be LHP Daniel Davidson (1-0, 3.07 ERA). Pitching for the Cards will be RHP Adam Ottavino (2-7, 5.48 ERA).

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Texas League Stories from August 29, 2008


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