TL1 Arkansas Travelers

Late Explosion Helps Travs Even Series

Published on August 13, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release


SAN ANTONIO - With a scoreless game seemingly headed for extra inning the Arkansas Travelers exploded for six runs in the ninth inning and went on for a 6-1 victory over the San Antonio Missions on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. Before the ninth inning neither team had a runner advance to third base, then nine Travs batters went to the plate in the deciding inning and five came away with base hits, including Brian Hernandez who delivered the winning hit with a two-run single.

The victory clinched a winning road trip for the Travs with a 4-1 record heading into getaway day on Monday. Thanks to the Springfield Cardinals 20-9 loss at Corpus Christi, the Travs 25-24 second half record is good for second place by 6.5 games.

Both starting pitchers were outstanding with the Travs' Jarrett Grube and San Antonio's Eddie Kunz matching scoreless innings. Grube, in his third start with Arkansas, allowed just two singles along with three walks over seven innings. He struck out nine Missions batters and retired the last seven he faced. Only two Missions reached second base against Grube, who stranded six runners in his start.

Jake Blackwood led off the Missions third inning with a single then Jeudy Valdez was hit by a pitch. Grube responded by striking out Reymond Fuentes, Dean Anna and Jonathon Galvez in order. Back-to-back walks with two outs in the fifth inning was followed by a strikeout of Galvez.

Kunz was even stingier with only four Travs base runners in his eight innings. Casey Haerther was the first Traveler with a base hit when he singled in the fifth inning with one out. Angel Castillo singled and stole second base in the sixth inning but Roberto Lopez popped out leaving him in scoring position.

Travis Witherspoon hit an infield single in the eighth with two outs and stole second base, but Kunz induced Darwin Perez into a pop out before he turned the game over to Daniel Stange for the ninth.

Stange (2-3) had allowed just one run in 13.2 innings, but got blizted in the ninth inning. Paul McAnulty started the rally with a double over the head of Blackwood in left field. Lopez was hit by the next pitch then Renny Osuna bunted the runner up one base. Haerther was intentionally walked to load the bases which brought Hernandez. He grounded Stange's first pitch to left field scoring McAnulty and Lopez. Then Carlos Ramirez dropped a flare near the right field line to score Haerther while Ramirez scampered into second with a double. After the second out, Witherspoon laced a single to left field scoring two more runs and took second base on the throw home. Perez completed the rally with a single to center bringing Witherspoon home for a 6-0 lead.

The Missions managed one run in the ninth inning off Kevin Johnson to stave off the shutout. Caleb Graham (2-2) retired the only batter he faced in the eighth inning to pick up the win.

Time of game was 2:50 and the paid attendance was 3,935.

The series concludes on Monday at Wolff Stadium with Nick Maronde (1-1, 3.55) taking on Matt Jackson (1-0, 3.86). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Arkansas Travelers Statistics

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Texas League Stories from August 13, 2012


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