TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Comeback Victory Puts Travs in Position for Series Win

Published on May 20, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Out-hit and trailing for much of the game, the Arkansas Travelers mounted a two-run rally in the seventh and eighth innings each to pick up a come-from-behind win, 4-3, over the visiting Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Sunday afternoon at Dickey-Stephens Park.

The favorable outcome for the Travs (18-25) could very well have not been a reality as the first three pitchers on the afternoon for Arkansas, combined to issue a season-high 10 walks to the Naturals (24-19). The first six walks were handed out by Travs' starter Johnny Hellweg. Despite the high volume of traffic on the base paths, Hellweg and the four relievers behind him managed to avoid the big inning, stranding a total of 14 Natural base runners, and giving the Travs a chance to hang around in the game.

Four hits would be all that the Travs would record on the afternoon, but they made the most of their hits, scoring four runs. After being held without a hit until the fifth inning, Roberto Lopez doubled on a fly ball that fell directly on the right field foul line. The Travs would threaten in that inning by loading the bases, but opposing starter Chris Dwyer wiggled off the hook in the fifth. The Naturals' left-hander would work around another double in the sixth and entered the seventh with just two hits given up.

Two quick outs in the seventh put Dwyer in position to toss another shutout inning, but he would not remain in the game to record that final out. A walk to Rian Kiniry set the table for the Travs' Angel Castillo to launch a line drive out of the ballpark to left field that tied the game at 2-all. The homerun ball would be the only mistake of Dwyer's outing, but despite the good outing, he would not factor into the decision. Dwyer's final line reflected 6.2 innings of work with three hits, two earned runs, three walks, and five strikeouts.

A solo blast by Prades to lead off the eighth inning put the Naturals back on top 3-2.

The back-and-forth continued as Jean Segura and Renny Osuna would reach base to start the bottom half of the eighth inning. A lineout to right field by Casey Haerther advanced Segura to third and left runners on the corners with one away. Lopez, the next batter, would hit a chopper to the third baseman Eric Duncan, who threw on to Sharlon Schoop at second base to start a potential double play. A dropped throw by Schoop allowed all runners to be safe, and for Segura to trot home with the tying run. Two batters later, Osuna scored the go-ahead run on a RBI groundout by Darwin Perez.

A rare three-up, three-down inning in the top of the ninth inning by Andrew Taylor closed out the game and gave the Travs their second consecutive win over the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Daniel Tillman earned his first win of the season after working the eighth inning and Taylor collected his first save on the season as well.

The fourth and final game of the series is set for an early 11:00 am first pitch on Monday, May 21st at Dickey-Stephens Park.

Check out the Arkansas Travelers Statistics

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Texas League Stories from May 20, 2012


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