TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Hankerd Hands Travs 2-0 Lead with Ninth Inning Homer

Published on September 6, 2013 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


Tulsa, Oklahoma-- Thursday night at ONEOK Field Cyle Hankerd broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to send the Travs to a 4-1 victory over the Drillers, and a 2-0 series lead. Randal Grichuk also hit a home run for the Travs, and Arkansas shutout Tulsa for eight innings after allowing a run in the bottom of the first. Arkansas aims for the series sweep, and their 11th straight victory dating back to August 26th.

Arkansas started quickly with four runs in the first inning in Game One, but Tyler Matzek took the mound in Game Two determined to avoid a repeat of that. Matzek allowed a walk to Randal Grichuk to start the first, but quickly got Taylor Lindsey to chop into a 6-4-3 double play at shortstop that helped him hang a zero on the board in the top of the first.

Tulsa came to bat in the bottom of the first facing RH Lay Batista. Batista came into the start with a 2.15 ERA in his final eight starts of the regular season. After retiring Delta Cleary Jr. on a ground out, a walk to Cristhian Adames, and a bloop single to center by Kyle Parker set up a run scoring opportunity for the Drillers. With two runners on base, Kiel Roling lifted an offering from Batista over the head of Travis Witherspoon in center. Adames scored, and Tulsa led 1-0 with runners still at second and third.

Batista complicated matters when he hit Tyler Kuhn with a pitch that loaded the bases. Threatening to break the game open, Tulsa sent Angelys Nina to the plate with the bases loaded. After a brief visit from Travs Pitching Coach Mike Hampton, Batista got Nina to hit a grounder to shortstop Jimmy Swift. Swift handled the ball and started a 6-4-3 double that ended the inning.

Arkansas missed opportunities to tie the game in the third and fourth innings. In the third Carlos Ramirez singled, and advanced to third on a two-out double by Taylor Lindsey. However, Tyler Matzek got Cyle Hankerd to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.

In the fourth Arkansas put two runners on base after singles by Cron and Robbie Widlansky. After a sacrifice bunt by Jimmy Swift advanced both runners up a base, Arkansas tried scoring Cron on a grounder to short that was hit by Kaleb Cowart. Adames handled the ground ball and threw to the plate to get Cron for the second out. Travis Witherspoon followed and reached on a walk to load the bases, but Ramirez struck out against Matzek to end the threat.

However, Arkansas broke through in the fifth inning against Matzek, and tied the game. Randal Grichuk led off by clubbing a home run to left field. The home run marked Grichuk's second of the series, 13th vs. Tulsa, and 24th of the season.

As the Travs finally tied the game, Travs RH Lay Batista began settling in. Batista benefited from a pair of double plays in the first two innings, retired eight straight from the second until the fifth inning when he allowed a single to Tim Smalling. Smalling tried swiping second with one out, but was caught stealing when Carlos Ramirez threw him out at second.

Tulsa turned to their bullpen at the start of the seventh inning when they called on reliever Dan Houston. Tyler Matzek left after six inning where he allowed a run on seven hits.

Houston came in and was greeted by Carlos Ramirez. Ramirez slashed a double to the bottom of the wall in dead center. After Randal Grichuk struck out, Tulsa Manager Kevin Riggs elected to intentionally walk Taylor Lindsey. With two runners on base, Cyle Hankerd singled to center, but Ramirez was stopped at third to load the bases. With the bases jammed, C.J. Cron came up and tapped a grounder to second. Angelys Nina handled the ball and started an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play that kept the game tied, 1-1.

Batista returned for the bottom of the seventh inning. Batista entered the inning having retired 12 of 13 Drillers faced. Batista opened the inning by getting Tyler Kuhn to fly out to center, but then allowed a single to Nina, and a walk to Dustin Garneau. With two runners aboard, Travs Manager Tim Bogar made the call to the bullpen for David Carpenter to take over on the mound.

Carpenter entered and got Joey Wong to line out to Travis Witherspoon in center, and then retired Tim Smalling on a ground ball to second baseman Taylor Lindsey that stranded both runners on base.

After Dan Houston made quick work of the Travs in the top of the eighth to keep the game tied at a run, Robert Coello entered to pitch for the Travs. Coello, who is with the Travs on a Major League Rehab assignment, retired the Drillers in order, and struck out Kyle Parker to end the inning.

With the game still tied at the start of the ninth inning, Tulsa called on their closer Cole White. White allowed a one out single to Ramirez, but got Grichuk to hit into a fielders choice at third for the second. Taylor Lindsey followed with a walk that put two runners on base at first and second Cyle Hankerd. With Hankerd batting and the count 1-2, Grichuk stole third base. However, Lindsey remained at first with the count now 2-2.

With the force at second still in order, Hankerd blasted White's 2-2 pitch over the right field fence for a three-run home run that put the Travs ahead, 4-1.

Arkansas turned to Mike Morin to try and close out a Game Two win for the Travs. Morin protected the lead by pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the win.

Arkansas pitchers combined to retire 22 of the final 28 Tulsa batters.

The Travs have clubbed six home runs in two games to begin the postseason.

Ramirez's three hits led the Travs. Hankerd, Cron and Widlansky also had two hit games.

Robert Coello was credited with the win, while Cole White took the loss, and Mike Morin earned the save.

The scene shifts to Dickey-Stephens Park on Friday when the Travs and Drillers in Game Three of their Best-of-Five series at 7:10 p.m. The final three games in the series are scheduled for North Little Rock. In a match-up of a pair of 22-year-old RHP, Arkansas sends Mark Sappington to the mound against Tulsa's Eddie Butler. Coverage of the game begins at 6:45 p.m. with the Travs Dugout Show on Sports Animal 920.

Check out the Arkansas Travelers Statistics

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Texas League Stories from September 6, 2013


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