Longballs Lift Travs to 7-5 Win
Published on July 13, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Typically a pitcher-friendly ballpark, Thursday night's game between the Arkansas Travelers and the Tulsa Drillers saw Dickey-Stephens Park show favor towards the hitters as the Travelers and Drillers both left the yard twice in convincing fashion. The second of the Travs' homeruns, a two-run line drive shot by Angel Castillo in the eighth inning, was the most significant longball of the night as it provided the difference in the Travs' 7-5 win over the Drillers.
The homerun display started early with the Travs (8-11, 35-54) being victimized first when Ben Paulsen launched a two-run bomb in the top of the first inning off of Travs' starter Matt Oye. Two innings later and trailing 4-1, the Travs answered back with a two-run shot of their own as Brian Hernandez belted his first double-A homerun, pulling the Travs to within a run, 4-3.
Without the benefit of a hit much less a homerun, the Travs drove in a pair of runs to take the lead, 5-4, in the fifth inning when Roberto Lopez and Hernandez drew consecutive bases loaded walks. That score would remain until the eighth inning as the Travs and Drillers' bullpens started to shut down the opposing offenses.
Starting in the top of the fourth inning, the combination of Buddy Boshers, Mike Piazza, and Ryan Chaffee held the Drillers to just three hits over five innings. On the other end, Zach Simons came on in relief of Drillers' starter Josh Outman in the fifth inning and pitched three hitless innings.
Having played their previous six games in which each was decided by one run, the Travs put a little breathing room between them and the Drillers in the bottom of the eighth. Following two quick outs, Carlos Ramirez extended the inning by hitting a single to right-centerfield. On the very next pitch, Castillo gave the Travs a three-run lead by hammering the Mike Marbry offering out to left field on a screaming line drive for his fourth homerun of the season.
Castillo's insurance homerun would not take long to prove paramount to a Travs' victory. In the top of the ninth inning, the Travs called upon their lights-out closer, Kevin Johnson to collect the save. Johnson had not been scored upon in 14 appearances heading into Thursday night's save opportunity. After working ahead of Paulsen to lead off the ninth inning, Johnson's scoreless streak would come to a resounding halt as Paulsen elevated a Johnson fastball out to the visitor's bullpen in right-centerfield for a solo homerun. It was Paulsen's second homerun of the game and brought the Drillers to within two runs, 7-5. Johnson would shake off the leadoff homerun by Paulsen and retired the next three batters in order to shut the door and collect his eighth save of the season.
Boshers (1-0) earns his first double-A win in relief. Piazza and Chaffee each record holds. Outman takes the loss for the Drillers and falls to 0-1 on the season.
The time of game was 2:52 and the attendance was 4,215.
Game two of this four-game set is scheduled for a 7:10 pm first pitch on Friday, July 13th at Dickey-Stephens Park. The Travs will send A.J. Schugel (3-7, 3.23) to the mound and the Drillers will counter with Dan Houston (7-7, 3.57).
Texas League Stories from July 13, 2012
- San Antonio Suffers Eighth Scoreless Game this Season - San Antonio Missions
- Cardinals Win on Walk off Walk - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Hooks' Bats Haunt 'Riders - Frisco RoughRiders
- Schugel and Company Blank Drillers - Arkansas Travelers
- Game Notes, July 13 vs. Frisco - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Royals Farm Report - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Longballs Lift Travs to 7-5 Win - Arkansas Travelers
- Hooks' Walk-Off Ends Wild Night - Frisco RoughRiders
- Missions' Comeback Comes Up Short - San Antonio Missions
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