TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Blanks Homer Beats Travs

Published on June 3, 2011 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


San Antonio, Texas - Kyle Blanks gave the San Antonio Missions their second "walkoff" win in a row against the Arkansas Travelers with a two-out solo home run (4) in the ninth inning. The home run off Loek Van Mil (1-1) sent the Travelers to a 6-5 loss. Blanks finished the game 2-for-5 with a double and the Missions' second two-out ninth inning home run of the series. The Travs wasted many opportunities leaving nine runners on base and collecting just two hits in 17 chances with a runner in scoring position.

The loss cost the Travs a chance to pick up ground on both Northwest Arkansas and Tulsa, who each lost on Thursday night. At 23-24 the Travelers sit one game behind the Naturals for second place in the TL North and two games in back of the Drillers for first place. San Antonio continues their tremendous run at Wolff Stadium where the Missions are 20-4. The Missions' 35-17 record puts them seven games ahead of Frisco for the top spot in the TL South.

Garrett Richards had an up and down evening in his tenth start, allowing five runs (two earned) on ten hits, which ties for his season high. Richards though struck out eight batters while walking only two in six innings.

San Antonio started left hander Juan Oramas in his third appearance of the season. The Travs got to him in the second inning to take the lead. Clay Fuller worked a one-out walk and stole second base, one of the six steals by the club. Angel Castillo, who enjoyed hit first multi-hit game in over a month, drove a double to center to bring Fuller in for a 1-0 Travs lead.

Richards allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the first to Vince Belnome, then induced a chopper by Sawyer Carroll to second base. On the attempted force at second base Mount threw wildly for an error sending the runners to second and third base. Beemer Weems collected the first of his three RBI with a single to right field tying the game at 1-1. With one out Ali Solis hit a bouncer that took a hop off the dirt at third base and bounced off the chest of Luis Jimenez for an RBI single giving the Missions a 2-1 lead. Jaff Decker completed the inning with a two-out single driving in Solis for a 3-1 score.

Oramas stranded runners at third base in the third and fourth innings, but Mike Trout tripled to begin the fifth inning. After Oramas walked Darwin Perez, Trout scored when Jimenez hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

Oramas left the game with the lead throwing five innings allowing two runs on four hits and three walks adding three strikeouts. He handed the ball to Aaron Breit, who found immediate trouble in the sixth inning. Singles by Gabe Jacobo and Mount followed by a walk to Fuller loaded the bases with no outs. Jacobo scored the tying run when Dillon Baird hit a slow groundout. Alberto Rosario followed with a dribbler on the third-base side of the mount that Breit fumbled for an infield single that knocked in Mount for a 4-3 Travs lead. Decker caught the last out of the inning when Trout hit a hard liner to shallow left field.

Pitching with his second lead of the night, Richards gave up a bloop single by Carroll then Weems turned on a first pitch fastball for a two-run homer (6) and a 5-4 Missions lead.

The Missions used Josh Spence for a scoreless seventh inning, but Clay Fuller led off the eighth with a game-tying home run (4) off Nick Vincent.

Van Mil entered the game in the seventh inning and pitched very well, setting down eight of nine batters including five strikeouts before he left a slider over the plate to Blanks on a 1-2 pitch. The 2008 TOPPS Texas League Player of the Year crushed his second walk-off home run of the year.

Time of game was 3:21 and the paid attendance was 5,742.

The Travs try to stave off the sweep on Friday by sending Trevor Reckling (1-6, 3.78) to the mound against Missions righty Jorge Reyes (3-1, 3.94). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Arkansas Travelers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Texas League Stories from June 3, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central