NORTH LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas ace Trevor Reckling has proved to be more than a one-hit wonder at Dickey-Stephens Park this season. The 20-year-old lefthander threw his second consecutive seven-inning, one-hit performance at home Saturday in the Travelers' 4-1 victory over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Reckling did not factor into the decision despite his gem on the mound, but the Travs manufactured three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning while reliever Francisco Rodriguez closed out the game with two perfect innings for the win.Kurt Mertins got the only hit for the Naturals (25-17, 61-51), a hard single up the middle in the sixth inning. Northwest Arkansas did score one unearned run off Reckling, who struggled with his control as seven Naturals reached base on only one hit. Reckling hit the first batter of the game, David Lough, who then advanced to third when Reckling overthrew (2) first baseman Mark Trumbo on a Mertins sacrifice bunt. Lough scored the only Northwest Arkansas run on a sacrifice fly to right field by Jeff Bianchi.
"What can you say? One hit. And he didn't have his command. He was off, but the guy I give a lot of credit to is [catcher Hank Conger]," Arkansas manager Bobby Magallanes said. "When you know this guy can't throw his fastball for strikes...and you guide him through to still make pitches when he needs to, that's catching."
Reckling walked four and struck out five without allowing an earned run in front of 7,782 Saturday. In his last appearance in North Little Rock, a July 28 start against the Springfield Cardinals, Reckling walked four and fanned a season-high nine batters. The lefty has allowed four hits or few in eight of his 19 outings this year, but only earned a win in half of those starts.
Everett Teaford was solid for the Naturals, holding the Travs (17-24, 44-67) to one run on six hits and two walks in five innings, with two strikeouts. Peter Bourjos led off the third with a single and went to second on a Coby Smith sacrifice, then Conger drove in Bourjos with a single to left.
"We played a little small ball early in the game when we got the first run, we sacrificed the guy over, and we got some other chances with runners in scoring position in the middle of the game and didn't get them in. But these guys, as of late, have been battling. We don't quit, and it's turning around. Today was a sign of that," Magallanes said.
The Travelers started an eight-inning rally with a pair of hits and then took advantage of Northwest Arkansas mistakes with good baserunning. Trumbo doubled down the left-field line to start the inning, and Hank Conger's infield single left runners on the corners with no outs for second baseman Ryan Mount. Mount grounded to his counterpart Marc Maddox, who tried to preserve the 1-1 tie by throwing home but Trumbo slid under catcher Jeff Howell's tag. Jay Caligiuri then reached on an error by Mertins (13), loading the bases for Wil Ortiz. Ortiz put down a perfect squeeze bunt, as Conger beat the pitcher's throw to the plate. Mount then scored on a Bourjos sacrifice fly to right, sliding past the catcher and then touching home when the throw from Ed Lucas pulled Howell up the line.
"It's about finding ways to put points on the board," Magallanes said.
Naturals reliever Jason Godin (L, 0-1) was tagged with the loss, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits in three innings of work. Rodriguez (W, 2-0) picked up the win for the Travs by striking out four of the six hitters he faced. Rodriguez has thrown 9.2 scoreless innings over his last six appearances, allowing just two hits and striking out 14 in that span.
"He was lights out that first inning, so we let him run with it. He's been outstanding. Not just him - our bullpen is really picking it up," Magallanes said.
The Travs and Naturals will play again Sunday, with lefthander Alex Torres (1-0, 3.18 ERA) making his second Double-A start for Arkansas against righty Matt Kniginyzky (4-9, 5.07). Game time is set for 6 p.m.
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