Garcia Stays Red Hot in Cards Comeback Win
Published on July 22, 2015 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
North Little Rock, AR - The Arkansas Travelers dropped an intense 6-5 ballgame to the Springfield Cardinals on Tuesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park.
After scoring twice in the top of the ninth to take the 6-5 lead, the Cardinals saw the Travs load the bases with one out on two singles and a walk. With the tying run on third and game-winning run on second, 3B Brian Hernandez struck out swinging and CF Blake Gailen tattooed a line drive to first that was caught by 1B Jonathan Rodriguez. 2B Sherman Johnson (who was on third) had a chance to score on a potential wild pitch with two outs, but the ball hit the home plate umpire's shin protector and bounced out in front of the plate down the first base line. The run would have tied the game.
With the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth, Gailen snapped an 0-for-21 slump with a monstrous go-ahead home run over the bullpens in right to put Arkansas on top.
The game was tied 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5, but the 6-5 lead was the first of the night for Springfield.
Arkansas jumped out 3-0 in the second on a Hernandez double, RF Cal Towey RBI single and SS Eric Stamets two-run double.
The Cards scored two in the fourth and one in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3.
Arkansas retook the lead on a Stamets leadoff home run to the back of the berm in left in the bottom of the fifth, but a C Raywilly Gomez passed ball allowed Springfield to tie the game 4-4 in the seventh.
After hitting .373 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in eight PanAm games for Team Puerto Rico, Cardinals LF Anthony Garcia returned and went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, including the game-tying knocks in the fifth and ninth innings.
Rodriguez had the go-ahead and eventual game-winning RBI single in the ninth for Springfield.
RHP Albert Suarez started the game for Arkansas and worked five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
RHP Kyle Winkler tossed two innings in relief of Suarez and did not allow an earned run.
RHP Danny Reynolds, after working a 1-2-3 eighth with two strikeouts, was in line for the victory before LHP Greg Mahle (L, 1-1) blew the save in the ninth. Mahle was on the wrong side of some bad luck after surrendering two infield singles in the ninth that put runners on first and second with one out.
Stamets finished 2-for-4 with the home run, double and three RBIs, and has 10 RBIs over his last five games with five extra-base hits.
The Travs went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position and the Cardinals finished 5-for-10.
Gailen was on base three times with the home run and two walks.
With the loss, Arkansas fell to 48-46 on the season. The Travelers and Cardinals will conclude the four-game series on Wednesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
Texas League Stories from July 22, 2015
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- Drillers Return to ONEOK Field Thursday - Tulsa Drillers
- Naturals Partner with Toys for Tots on Thursday, July 30 - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Just Another Day at the Beach - Midland RockHounds
- Garcia Stays Red Hot in Cards Comeback Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Hooks, 'Hounds: Hard-Hitting Hardball - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Cardinals Rally in 9th for the 6-5 Comeback Win - Springfield Cardinals
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