Late Homer Lifts Hounds Past Travs
July 3, 2010 - Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
MIDLAND, TEXAS - Adrian Cardenas provided the go-ahead blast with a tie-breaking home run (2) to propel the Midland RockHounds to a 6-4 series-opening victory over the Arkansas Travelers on Friday night at Citibank Ballpark. The Midland second baseman took Robert Fish (2-4) deep to right field leading off the seventh inning. The RockHounds unloaded a 16-hit attack on Friday with three players collecting three base hits. Jeremy Moore led the Travs with a 3-for-5 night, but the Travs fell for the fourth time in as many games at Midland.
Falling to 1-6 against the RockHounds, the Travelers are 3-4 in the second half and 29-48 overall. Earning just their second win in seven tries, the RockHounds improve to 3-4 in the second half and 38-39 overall.
Other than the game-winning home run from Cardenas, all of the RockHounds base hits came in the form of singles. Midland was led by left fielder and leadoff batter Shane Peterson who drove in two runs off of three singles. Peterson also scored twice and stole a base. Matt Sulentic and Jeff Baisley each had three base hits.
Twenty-year old left hander Will Smith took a no-decision in his double-A debut. Lasting six innings, Smith allowed four runs (three earned) on 12 base hits while striking out two against zero walks. He retired the first four Midland batters in his double-A debut, but ran into trouble in the second allowing four consecutive base hits. Alex Valdez's hard grounder glanced off Efren Navarro's glove for a one-out single then Corey Brown moved Valdez to third base with a line drive base hit to right field. Brown was out trying to stretch the hit into a double with right fielder Julio Perez making a solid throw. Josh Horton drove a hard single to center knocking in Valdez for a 1-0 Midland lead. After Sulentic singled, Smith caught Petey Paramore looking to end the inning.
Peterson and former Trav Val Majewski started the third with infield singles bringing Cardenas to the plate. A high chopper brought second baseman Abel Nieves close to Majewski as he ran for second base, but Nieves had cut in front of the runner and tried to flip the ball to second behind his back. The ball ended up in left field for an error allowing Peterson to score. Corey Brown's two-out RBI single knocked in Majewski for a 3-0 Midland lead.
Held scoreless over three innings by left hander Ryan Edell, the Travs broke through in the fourth inning. Designated hitter Roberto Lopez doubled down the third-base line leading off the inning. Navarro grounded to second base moving Lopez to third, and he scored when Nieves bounced to shortstop.
Putting together an eight-batter rally in the fifth inning the Travs scored three runs to grab the lead. Tyson Auer started the rally with a one-out bunt single. Moore's two-out single moved Auer to second. Then Perez dropped a single into shallow center bringing Auer home. Lopez ripped the next pitch into left field for a game-tying RBI single. Then Navarro put the Travs up one run with a single to centerfield knocking in Perez.
Smith had retired eight in a row when he fizzled with two outs in the sixth inning. Sulentic hit an 0-2 pitch for a single. Then Paramore punched a single to right field which brought Peterson to the plate for a game-tying single to center.
The Travs had a shot in the sixth inning but ran themselves out of a chance to regain the lead. Adam Younger drew a leadoff walk from Edell, then Anel de los Santos singled. Attempting a sacrifice, Auer bunted too hard at the mound resulting in a force play at third base. Right hander Mickey Storey (2-2) came in for Midland and struck out Kevin Ramos for the second out. Moore followed with a grounder past the mound that Cardenas stopped behind second base. With no play at first base, de los Santos was sent home from second base and was thrown out to end the inning. The Travs didn't get another base runner as the last nine hitters went down.
Still tied 4-4 in the seventh, the Travs brought on Fish to face Cardenas. After getting ahead 1-0 Cardenas ripped a fastball over the right-field fence to provide the winning run. Fish got out of the inning with two strikeouts to pitch around two walks. Midland got to right hander Jeremy Haynes for a run in the eighth when Peterson singled, stole second base and came home on Baisley's third hit.
Meanwhile the Travs just couldn't get to the Midland bullpen. Storey, who earned the win, pitched a perfect seventh inning. Right hander Justin James fired two perfect innings for his first save.
Time of game was 2:45 and the paid attendance was 2,960.
The Travs and Hounds must make up Thursday's rainout with a double header on Saturday beginning at 5:00 p.m. In game one the Travs send right hander Tyler Chatwood (0-2, 7.56) to the mound against Midland's Matt Wright (0-0, 2.25). The Hounds haven't announced a pitcher for the second game, but the Travs will go with Daniel Cabrera (0-0, 2:08). Follow the doubleheader on Sports Animal 920 AM beginning at 4:40 p.m.
Texas League Stories from July 3, 2010
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- 'Riders Take Game One of Doubleheader - Frisco RoughRiders
- Rain Postpones Final Game in Tulsa - Corpus Christi Hooks
- C Theriot Returns; Bowden to 'Rocks - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Rained Out - Tulsa Drillers
- Amarista Joins Travs During Texas Swing - Arkansas Travelers
- Hooks Suffer Record-Setting Loss - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Late Homer Lifts Hounds Past Travs - Arkansas Travelers
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