Diaz's Great Start Wasted In 2-1 Loss
Published on July 24, 2008 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
Hammons Field, Springfield, Missouri - A fantastic starting pitching performance by right-hander Amalio Diaz was not enough for the Travs as they fell 2-1 at Springfield in ten innings. Diaz spun eight shutout innings allowing just three base hits and one walk while striking out nine batters, and the Travs led in every inning until the ninth. The Cards tied the game against Steve Marek (2-6, 5th blown save) in the ninth inning, then won it in the tenth on an RBI single by Jon Jay.
The Cards won 2-of-3 games in the series sending the Travs to their seventh series loss in the last nine.
Diaz was masterful and retired 24 of the 28 batters he faced. He had strings of 12 and nine consecutive outs. Cards RHP Adam Ottavino almost equaled Diaz over a seven-inning performance where he gave up one run (unearned) on five hits, one walk and seven strikeouts.
The Travs took advantage of some Cardinal mistakes to take a first-inning lead. With two outs, Chris Pettit reached on a dropped third strike then took second base on Brian Stavisky's single. Corey Smith followed with a hard grounder that bounced off 3B Allen Craig's glove for an error scoring Pettit. Ottavino left the bases loaded with a strikeout of Adam Morrissey.
Diaz never faced a threat until Tyler Greene hit a bloop double to begin the sixth inning. But the Cards never got Greene off second base as Diaz retired Jay, Craig and Mark Shorey.
The Travs threatned in the eighth as Springfield reliever Josh Dew loaded the bases on three walks, but he struck out Morrissey to end the frame.
Marek was called upon for the ninth after Diaz threw 101 pitches. He induced Jay to begin the inning with a routine grounder that pulled Corey Smith off first base. Smith fed the ball to Marek at first base, but he dropped it for an error.
Craig followed with a hard grounder next to third base that Morrissey dove and stopped. He got the force out at first base, but Jay advanced to second. With two outs, Marek got to 2-2 on Andrew Brown before he laced a game-tying single to center field.
After Luke Gregerson (6-5) retired the Travs in order for the tenth inning, Marek issued a leadoff walk in the bottom half. With one out, Wil Ortiz and Nate Sutton came close to turning a double play on a grounder by Greene but he beat the relay throw to continue the inning. LHP Doug Brandt was called upon to pitch to Jay, but Greene stole second on the first pitch and scored when Jay singled past second base the winning run and his first RBI in a month.
Time of game was 2:49 and the paid attendance was 6,634.
BOXSCORE
After tonight's game the Travs head to Tulsa where they begin a four-game series Friday night at 7:05 p.m. The Travs will send RHP Anthony Ortega (8-7, 3.84) to pitch against Drillers RHP Tomas Santiago (4-5, 4.08).
Texas League Stories from July 24, 2008
- Big Inning Propels Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Diaz's Great Start Wasted In 2-1 Loss - Arkansas Travelers
- Cards Finish Home Stand 5-2, after 2-1 Win on Thursday - Springfield Cardinals
- Tulsa Drills Naturals, Avoids Sweep - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Few Reserved Seats Remain for this Friday, Saturday - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
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