Lopez Plays Walk-Off Hero with Three-Run Shot
Published on July 2, 2012 under Texas League (TL1)
Arkansas Travelers News Release
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Fireworks came a night earlier than planned to Dickey-Stephens Park as Roberto Lopez's three-run walk-off homerun capped an improbable five-run comeback by the Arkansas Travelers on Monday night to give the Travs a 7-6 win over the Frisco RoughRiders.
As exciting as the late-game heroics by Lopez were, they almost did not even take place if it weren't for a couple of plays in the inning to go the Travs' way.
The first came with Alberto Rosario leading the ninth inning off with a single up the middle off of RoughRiders' reliever Wilfredo Boscan. Rosario was the first to reach base off Boscan, who entered the ninth looking to secure the rare three-inning save after pitching a perfect seventh and eighth inning. Following a strikeout of Angel Castillo, Darwin Perez doubled off the wall in left field to score Rosario and cut the deficit to three runs, 6-3. On the play, Perez advanced to third base as the RoughRiders attempted to throw out Rosario at the plate. A strikeout of Tyson Auer in the next at-bat left the Travs down to their final out.
Swinging at the first pitch in the next at-bat, Jean Segura lined a hanging breaking ball into shallow left field to extend the game and score Perez from third base. That would be the final pitch thrown by Boscan as he was relieved by Ryan Rodebaugh. The first batter Rodenbaugh was set to face was Renny Osuna, who represented the tying run, but was 0-for-3 to that point in the game. Putting the ball in play on a 2-1 count, Osuna appeared to routinely ground to shortstop to end the game, but Osuna, determined to extend the game, beat out the throw from Jurickson Profar and brought Lopez to the plate as the potential winning run.
Eager to erase the memories of his earlier at-bats that included three strikeouts, Lopez wasted no time as he went after Rodebaugh's first pitch and lined it out to straight away left field for the walk-off winner, capping the come-from-behind effort for the Travs. The Lopez game-winning shot brought with it a couple of firsts. It was the first three-run homerun that the Travs had hit all season long and it was the first walk-off via the homerun for the Travs.
Dakota Robinson is the Travs' pitcher to benefit from the walk-off blast as he collects the win to improve to 2-1 on the season after pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Travs' starter A.J. Schugel was on the hook for the loss, but winds up with a no-decision instead. Rodebaugh is hit with the loss and falls to 1-3 on the season.
The game took 2:58 and had a paid attendance of 3,289.
Both teams will be back at it on Tuesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park for the second game of the three-game set. First pitch is set for 7:10 pm. Gates open at 6:10 pm. Following the conclusion of the game, the First Fireworks in the Rock will take place.
Texas League Stories from July 2, 2012
- Lopez Plays Walk-Off Hero with Three-Run Shot - Arkansas Travelers
- Missions Take Naturals 3-2 - San Antonio Missions
- Villar Sends Tulsa to 6th Straight Defeat - Tulsa Drillers
- Heartbreak Ninth Pushes Losing Streak to Four - Frisco RoughRiders
- Cardinals Beat Midland 7-5, Win 7th Straight Game - Springfield Cardinals
- Missions Edge Naturals - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Game Notes, July 2 vs. Tulsa - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Justin Marks Placed on 7-Day DL - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Drillers Return to ONEOK Field Thursday - Tulsa Drillers
- Former Missions in All-Star Game - San Antonio Missions
- The EggMen to Rock Whataburger Field - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Josh Geer Named Texas League Pitcher of the Week - San Antonio Missions
- Upcoming Homestand Highlights - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Sockers and RockHounds to Honor Military and Gold Star Families - Midland RockHounds
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