Travelers Claim Series Opener, 8-4
August 27, 2013 - Texas League (TL1)
Springfield Cardinals News Release
North Little Rock, AR - The Arkansas Travelers won the series opener, 8-4, against the Springfield Cardinals before 3,043 fans at Dickey-Stephens Park on Tuesday night.
Springfield (31-33, 64-68) got off to a powerful start in the top of the first against RHP Brandon Hynick (W, 11-5). With two down, 3B Ruben Gotay extended the inning with a walk. 1B Xavier Scruggs then belted a two-run home run to left-center, before RF Stephen Piscotty followed with a solo shot to left to swing the Cards into the 3-0 lead.
After LHP Tim Cooney (L, 7-9) kept the Travelers (34-30, 67-66) off the board through the first two innings, Arkansas struck in the third. With two away, RF Randal Grichuk kept the inning alive with a double, before racing in on an RBI single from 2B Taylor Lindsey to make it 3-1.
Arkansas then seized the lead with consecutive three-run frames in the fourth and fifth. With two away in the fourth and a runner at third base, SS Jimmy Swift placed an RBI single to center field. He then raced to third on a base hit by 3B Kaleb Cowart, before a balk scored Swift and moved Cowart to second. An RBI single from CF Travis Witherspoon brought in Cowart for the 4-3 lead.
The Travelers remained on the attack in the fifth, loading the bases with no outs with a pair of singles and a walk. After an RBI groundout from 1B CJ Cron, DH Robbie Widlansky drove a two-run single to stretch it to a 7-3 advantage.
The Cardinals chipped down the deficit with a solo blast by 2B Colin Walsh in the top of the seventh, but Arkansas countered with an RBI groundout by Cowart in the bottom of the frame to extend the lead back to four runs.
A pair of scoreless relief innings from Arkansas RHP David Carpenter in the eighth and LHP Nick Maronde in the ninth closed the 8-4 win for the Travelers.
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Texas League Stories from August 27, 2013
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