TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Austen Pitches Travs To Victory

Published on August 16, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock, Arkansas - David Austen (1-2) delivered the second strong pitching performance in a row for the Arkansas Travelers (21-33, 57-67) to pick up his first win of the season. Austen held the San Antonio Missions (25-28, 64-59) hitless through one out in the fourth inning and kept them scoreless until the sixth. Ben Johnson knocked in the first run of the game in the first inning and scored an insurance run in the eighth, sending the Travs to a 5-2 victory.

Overall Austen pitched six effective innings and holding the Missions one run on three hits. He walked no one and struck out a batter.

Wil Ortiz hit a one-out double to right field and came home to score the game's first run on Johnson's double. The next batter, Corey Smith traded places with Johnson, doubling down the left-field line to score Johnson for a 2-0 lead. Johnson finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.

The Travs made it 3-0 when Brian Stavisky, who drew a one-out walk, came home to score on Mark Trumbo's sac-fly off Missions' starter Will Inman (8-7).

Colt Morton led off the sixth with a first-pitch double off Austen and came home to score on an RBI groundout by Gabe Lopez to cut the score to 3-1.

The Missions chipped away another run in the seventh when pinch-hitter Kyle Blanks hit his 15th home run of the season, making it a 3-2 game off reliever Doug Brandt.

In his first appearance since rejoining the team, Marco Albano got the Travs into trouble in the eighth by walking the lead-off batter Brian Snyder, allowing him to steal second base before moving him to third with a wild pitch, all with no outs. Albano got Morton to swing and miss on a 3-2 pitch for the first inning but relieved by closer Rafael Rodriguez.

With one out and the tying run at third, Rodriguez coaxed a weak pop up to first to get the second out of the inning before getting the next batter to ground out to second to end the inning and keep the lead intact.

Rodriguez earned his ninth save in 10 chances by pitching the final 1.2 innings. Rodriguez has earned a save in each of the teams last five wins. He hasn't allowed a run since July 29 against Springfield, a span of nine scoreless appearances. Rodriguez' ERA now stands at 1.91 and looks like the type of closer the Travs need for their run in the playoffs.

The Travs gave Rodriguez some cushion to work with in the bottom of the eighth inning, plating two runs to extend the lead to 5-2. The first run scored when Mark Trumbo laid down a sac-bunt with runners at first and second and no outs. Instead of throwing to first to retire Trumbo, Missions' reliever Philip Barzilla threw to down the third-base line trying to get the lead runner Johnson. Johnson scored on the play and Corey Smith, who was on first, moved up to third while Trumbo coasted into second base. An infield-single off the bat of Nate Sutton loaded the bases before Coby Smith grounded into a 6-2 fielders choice. Adam Greenberg hit a two-out single to right-center field to score Trumbo and give Rodriguez some breathing room.

Rodriguez responded by recording three outs in the ninth on just seven pitches.

Time of game was 2:31 and paid attendance was 5,539.

The Travelers will take on the Missions in game two of this three-game series on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. with the gates opening at 5:00 p.m. The Travs will send RHP Bobby Mosebach (9-10, 4.73 ERA) to the mound to face Missons' RHP Mike Ekstrom (8-6, 5.16 ERA).

For ticket or game information, call (501) 664-1555 or visit travs.com.

Check out the Arkansas Travelers Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 16, 2008


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