Efficiency the Key to Arenas' Complete-Game Victory
Published on July 21, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - 82 pitches were all that Arkansas Travelers starting pitcher, Orangel Arenas, needed as he faced one over the minimum, limiting the Tulsa Drillers to one run on two hits, en route to a, 3-1, complete-game victory on Saturday night at Dickey-Stephens Park.
Arenas' (4-7) highly-efficient outing started early as needed only eight pitches to retire the side in order in the first inning. Arenas would match that pitch total in the second inning, and the result was the same, three-up and three-down. Another economical inning in the top of the third yielded more of the same for Arenas and got him one time through the order.
Unable to figure out Arenas the first time through, it did not take long for the Drillers to momentarily break the rhythm of Arenas. Down in the count, 0-2, Drillers' leadoff hitter, Corey Dickerson, picked up the team's first hit as he roped a liner that stayed just within the foul pole in right field for a solo homerun, giving the Drillers a 1-0 lead.
Following the homerun, Arenas appeared to be flustered a bit as he proceeded to walk the next batter, Angelys Nina, on four pitches. Arenas would even fall behind, 2-0, in the next at-bat to Nolan Arenado. Despite losing some of his control of the game, Arenas would bounce back in a big way as he got a flyout of Arenado, and an inning-ending double play to work out of the fourth with minimal damage.
The bounce-back effort by Arenas in the top of the fourth inning was magnified in the bottom of the frame as the Travelers rallied for three runs to take a 3-1 lead.
Renny Osuna led off the inning with a single through the right side of the infield. Osuna would then come home in the next at-bat as Ryan Mount deposited a Parker Frazier (4-11) offering into the Travelers' bullpen in right field for a go-ahead, two-run homerun. Two more hits would follow as Roberto Lopez found some grass in right field for the Travs' third consecutive hit and Casey Haerther extended the streak to four with a single of his own. A sacrifice bunt by Brian Hernandez served as the first out of the inning, but it also advanced Lopez to third and Haerther to second. Carlos Ramirez then found the hole at shortstop for a RBI single to extend the Travs' lead to 3-1.
The burst of offensive support for Arenas following the somewhat difficult fourth inning would end up being the catalyst for Arenas to eventually go the distance. From that fourth inning on, Arenas would allow only one more base runner to reach against him as he retired 14 of the final 15 batters of the game. The final line on Arenas would read: nine innings pitched, two hits allowed, one earned run (HR), one walk, and two strikeouts.
With the complete-game victory, Arenas now improves to 4-7 on the year. Frazier takes the loss and falls to 4-11.
The Travs are now in position to take their second consecutive series on Sunday as they will play the third game of their four-game set with the Drillers. First pitch is set for 6:00 pm.
Texas League Stories from July 21, 2012
- Rockhounds Top Missions 8-3 - San Antonio Missions
- Efficiency the Key to Arenas' Complete-Game Victory - Arkansas Travelers
- Cosart Shuts Down Frisco - Frisco RoughRiders
- Drillers Drop Second Straight in Little Rock - Tulsa Drillers
- Cardinals Beat Naturals 4-1 - Springfield Cardinals
- Perez Homer Does in Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Game Notes, July 21 vs. Frisco - Corpus Christi Hooks
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