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8th Inning Triples Send Travs To 8-6 Loss

May 18, 2007 - Texas League (TL1)
Wichita Wranglers News Release


Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, Wichita, KS - Chris Lubanski and Ed Lucas hit back-to-back triples in the eighth inning to break a tie game and send the Wichita Wranglers (20-22) to an 8-6 victory over the Arkansas Travelers (16-24). The Travs held a 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth, but Wichita rallied for four runs in the fifth to take a one-run lead. After Arkansas tied the game in the sixth on Ryan Leahy's third single of the game, the Travs bats went quiet against the Wichita relief corps. RHP Gabe DeHoyos (2-0) earned the win with 2.1 shutout relief innings. Arkansas RHP Aaron Pullin (0-1) absorbed the loss allowing two runs in the eighth. Wichita RHP Octavio Dotel pitched the ninth on rehab for the save.

The starting pitching matchup of RHP Nick Green and RHP Luke Hochevar fizzled. Both hurlers lasted five innings and didn't figure into the decision. Green allowed six runs on eight hits, while Hochevar gave up five runs on six base hits.

The Wranglers broke out to a lead in the second inning against Green. Lucas reached when his squibber took an odd bounce past Adam Morrissey for a single. One batter later, Wichita SS Jace Brewer launched a two-run homer (2) to left giving Wichita a 2-0 lead.

Arkansas came right back to bring home three runs in the third inning. Leahy hit a leadoff single to left and advanced to second when Lubanski misplayed the ball. A groundout to the pitcher's mound moved Leahy up, then Hochevar hit Adam Morrissey with a pitch. Travs 3B Freddy Sandoval, who finished 2-for-4, hit a single in front of Lubanski to chase in Leahy. Curtis Pride then laced a two-run double to the left-field corner giving the Travs a 3-2 lead.

Sandoval set the table in the fifth with a one-out single followed by Pride's single. When Mike Collins struck out, Sandoval and Pride executed a double steal. Both scored when DH Greg Porter grounded a triple past first base putting the Travs up 5-2.

Green breezed through the third and fourth innings before running out of steam in the fifth. Brewer hit a leadoff double and scored when C Adam Donachie doubled to left field. The tying run reached base when Irving Falu's fly ball landed in center for a single that pushed Donachie to third. CF Adam Greenberg continued the rally with a single grounded into right field chasing home Donachie. Mike Gaffney made it four straight hits with a flare that fell close to the right-field line for the tying RBI. Greenberg advanced to third base on Gaffney's single and scored on Lubanski's sacrifice fly putting Wichita in front 6-5.

RHP Greg Atencio relieved Hochevar for the sixth, but Travs RF Matt Pali hit a triple to right-center to begin the inning. Leahy then poked a single to right bringing home Pali with the tying run. Cody Fuller then hit a bouncer past the mound for an infield single putting Leahy at second base. But Leahy was picked off at second base by Donachie for the first out. Atencio then struck out Morrissey and DeHoyos came on to get Pride on a grounder to second ending the inning.

Arkansas had RHP Rich Thompson pitch two shutout innings in relief of Green. Pullin came on for the eighth and Lubanski greeted him with a shot into the right-field corner for a triple. Lucas then smacked a fly ball to straight-away center for a triple giving Wichita an 7-6 lead. DH Geraldo Valentin followed with a fly ball to center for a sacrifice scoring Lucas to cap the scoring.

Dotel pitched a 1-2-3 inning for Wichita in the ninth earning his first save since 2005, and first Minor League save in nine years.

The game was played in 2:35 and the paid attendance was 2,443.

The Travs and Wranglers will play the third-game of this four-game series Saturday night. Arkansas has RHP Chris Saenz (1-4, 9.12 ERA) pitching against RHP Carlos Rosa (1-1, 2.66 ERA). First pitch at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium will be thrown at approximately 6:05 p.m.

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